War Between Brothers
by Cyber Rogue
Summary: Bumblebee used to think he was invincible with his brother at his side. The reality of being wrong had never hurt so much: A request from mr.black cat.
1. Chapter 1

The mech's words resonated around the area. Screams, both triumphant and defiant filled the air as the speech came to an end. The tall, imposing silver mech observed everything around him with satisfaction, his optics surveying everything. His words, a message of change, were also backed up by action.

All either loved him and willingly followed him and the promise of change he offered, while some hated him with a passion and sought to kill him.

Barricade, at the moment, was someone who would willingly follow the gladiator who was fighting relentlessly for change. It was a tantalizing promise that offered much for those who had little to nothing. But at the moment, no gladiator or silver gleaming hero would be able to help him at the moment.

He ran in fast sprints, his arms full with the precious cargo he carried, as well as his processor full with the speech he had just heard from the gladiator.

"Take up arms, and fight for the change you strive for. Take the life that has been robbed from you!"

The speech held promise, and it was something Barricade hoped for. But now, he needed to make it out alive and stay ahead of his pursuers. Even now, he could hear the enraged shouts of the mechs pursuing him. The promise of blood was clear in their threats, but the energon he had stolen was too precious for him to lose. Already, he had been deprived of it for so long. He could not go another day without the precious fluids.

With one last, sharp move, Barricade ducked into a small alleyway before leaping through a small doorway that concealed him from those on the streets. Panting, he leaned against the wall as his legs trembled from the sudden effort it took to stand. He had honestly never run so fast in his life.

The shouts of his enraged pursuers came close before fading away as they tore down the street and past the little hut he had hidden in. Barricade breathed out a sigh of relief, closing his optics for a moment, before the soft scurrying sounds of small pedes caught his attention.

His optics snapped open and he turned sharply to regard the small Cybertronian who was standing before him. The minicon's optics were narrowed, and in his servos was a small dagger. Barricade stared at him, still and unmoving. The minicons optics flickered at the sounds of the pursuers fading away.

The silver minicon scowled as he stared at the young, dark mech before him. The youngling did not break his gaze from the small, fierce minicon who was doing his best to stare him down.

Finally, the minicon sighed. With one swift move, he tossed the dagger to Barricade who fumbled with the weapon as he caught it.

"You owe me big time kid," the minicon grunted.

Barricade nodded, the only sign of gratefulness slipping through his rough facade. "Thank you, Frenzy," he said before scampering off and out of the hut.

The slums of the city were thick with waste, matching the thick, grim atmosphere that hung over the city. No high born Cybertronian would ever dare set a dainty pede in the section of the low mining class. Riff raff, they sniffed, of those who resided there. Riff raff was just a word of many that described the slaves, gladiators and thugs that called the slums their home. It was not a comforting home by any means, but it was the only home that would take them.

The law was not on their side, but when the law caught up to them, it was not merciful.

Barricade always kept that in mind whenever he considered committing a crime. At times, he would plot and plan his course of action and take the least riskiest route. But most of the time, as life demanded, he had to act within the moment, seize his chance.

The seller of the energon cube had stopped chasing him hours ago, but Barricade still ran. Even when Frenzy had agreed to keep him hidden did not mean Barricade was out of danger yet. Just because the original owner did not try to take Barricade's spoils back did not mean that there weren't others out there looking for a chance to steal what had already been stolen.

His breath came out in short gasps when he ducked into an alleyway before sliding down a ditch. Wedged in between the ditch was a small, rusty drain pipe. It was too small for grown mechs to wiggle into, but a drone or minicon could easily fit inside.

It was also the perfect hiding spot for younglings on the wrong side of the law. Or, maybe they were on the wrong side of life, as everything about them, from their tiny frames to the stink hole they called home, was discarded away.

Barricade did not allow himself to sigh with relief until he was safely hidden in the drain pipe. He looked around with caution, his servos gripping the energon cubes tightly to his chassis as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

He approached the huddled form that was safely wedged into the corner, just as he had left it. He reached out to remove the metal covering, only for his spark to skip with fear when he realized that there was nothing but dirt and grim under the hiding space.

"Bumblebee!" he exclaimed, panic sharp in his tone as he looked around frantically. In his haste to locate the youngling, he dropped an energon cube. Cursing, he ignored it and looked around as his spark began to beat with uncontrollable worry.

A light giggle filled his audio receptors, and a small form crashed into his legs, nearly sending him stumbling forward. It was only because he felt the familiar spark signature that bonded him to his brother did he not panic at the sudden contact. However, he scowled as Bumblebee wrapped his small arms around Barricade's legs.

"I'm right here brother!" Bumblebee chirped with wide, blue optics that gazed up at him with such openness.

It was that openness that Bumblebee alone contained. He contained such innocence because of the safety he was confined to, because Barricade did all that he could to keep the youngling from venturing out. It was a pointless task when one was saddled with an eager youngling, and Bumblebee's constant curiosity frustrated Barricade to no end.

"Where were you?" Barricade demanded.

Bumblebee grinned. "Hiding. You couldn't find me."

"Where were you hiding?" Barricade asked gruffly, moving toward a stack of metal crates. His movements were rough and jerky as Bumblebee refused to let go of his pedes. With a frustrated huff, Barricade looked down at Bumblebee. "Let go," he said.

Automatically, Bumblebee released his hold on Barricade and fell to the ground. He observed the older youngling with a cocked helm, optics inquisitive as Barricade set the spoiled energon cubes on the crate.

"Where were you hiding?" Barricade repeated.

Bumblebee beamed. "It's a secret," he said.

"Did anyone see you?" Barricade demanded, snapping his gaze to Bumblebee.

Bumblebee shook his helm. "Nuh uh. That's the point of hiding!"

"Did you leave this place?" Barricade inquired, gaze still staring daggers into Bumblebee's innocent gaze.

"I'm hungry," Bumblebee said simply, starting toward the crate. "It's been a while since we ate." He reached for an energon cube, only for Barricade to roughly grasp his servo.

"Primus Bee!" Barricade hissed. "Do you know what would happen if anyone saw you? Or worse, caught you? You'd be sold to a miner to die, or fight in the gladiatorial arena." He paused, optics narrowed. "But with your scrawny frame, they'd probably use you as bait for the beasts."

Bumblebee wrenched his servo away with a small frown. "No one saw me," he defended silently. "I didn't leave, just like you said." He looked back at his brother who was no longer glaring at him with intense displeasure, but staring at him with tense fear. "I promise," he said finally.

Barricade huffed, staring down at the crate. Bumblebee did not move from his spot, shifting uncomfortably, the glow of the energon cubes giving off a light blue hue to the dark space.

"Consume your energon," Barricade said with a sigh. "Don't put my hard work to waste."

Bumblebee grinned as he snatched at an energon cube hungrily, his savage and quick actions evident as he consumed the precious fuels he had been deprived of. "You didn't work hard at all for this," Bumblebee stated finally when he could get a word in.

Barricade scoffed, making sure the small, yellow youngling had enough fuel before reaching for his own cube. "Stealing is hard work, and an honest enough living as it is," he said as he fiddled with the dagger Frenzy had given him.

"Nothing honest about it," Bumblebee quipped.

"You're no longer hungry, right?" Barricade challenged. At that, Bumblebee fell silent.

The silence stretched on, and for a bit, Barricade began to worry at how long it took for Bumblebee to chatter on. Out of the two brothers, Bumblebee was the one who spoke the most. It was a not so subtle effort to banish the silence with his chatter. At times, Barricade had to restrain himself from getting into a verbal spar with Bumblebee on how much his chattering was a nuisance, but the truth was, the sounds of the one sided conversation helped distract him. The words of the gladiator, though distant, still resonated with a purpose that caused him to frown.

He nodded to the empty energon cubes. "You done?" he asked.

Bumblebee nodded and quickly sat back, though he focused his gaze on his lap as he fiddled with his servos. Barricade narrowed his optics as he observed Bumblebee, who was now trying and failing to hide his nervousness.

"What?" Barricade demanded with a tired sigh.

Bumblebee slowly looked up, optics wide and worried. "Cade…" he started slowly.

Uh oh. The nickname. Never a good sign. Usually, such a nickname was used when Bumblebee either wanted to butter him up for something, or he was too lazy to say his full name when in fact it was easier to say his real name instead of half of it.

"I was wondering…" Bumblebee continued.

Warning bells started going off. The second sign of trouble. Anyone with sparklings, or little siblings would know that they were in for a question that would turn into begging, then to pouting as the older mech of the group refused to allow the younger Cybertronian to do what they wanted. Already, Barricade was coming up with counter arguments that would turn this into his favor.

Then it clicked for him. Why not stop the young bot in his tracks before any damage could be done?

"No," he said firmly.

Bumblebee's optics widened. "You didn't even hear what I was going to say!"

"Don't need to," he huffed a she sipped his energon. "I already know I won't like it."

Bumblebee frowned, a flicker of hurt flashing over his face. "Even if I promise to be good?"

Barricade frowned. "Good for what?"

"When I go with you to the city!" Bumblebee chirped.

Barricade's optics widened. He knew he wouldn't like this. "No," he said with a low growl. "End of discussion."

Bumblebee rose up from his seat, optics narrowed as his expression became fierce. "Why not? Because I'm too young? I'm barely as old as you!"

"Because you're my brother, that's why!" Barricade snapped.

"And you're my brother too!" Bumblebee retorted. "I cannot stay down here forever! This place won't even last us another cycle. I'll outgrow it, literally. We both will. And I need to learn to fend for myself, just as you do, and I won't learn that stuck here."

"The slums are an unforgiving place," Barricade said.

Bumblebee scowled. "We live in the slums. Venturing out there, with you to protect me," it was obvious the last part was forced out with great distaste, but Barricade ignored it. "Won't be as bad leaving me here, alone with nothing but my tiny, untrained fists to defend myself."

Barricade's frown deepened. No, this was not the first time Bumblebee had appealed to Barricade for him to go out. Of course, Barricade did let Bumblebee out with him at times, but never for long. Many eager slave drivers were always looking for younglings like Bumblebee, who still could not defend himself. But, Barricade had to admit that Bumblebee was the fastest out of the two, but speed was not everything, and there were some slave traders who were eager to snatch up a helpless youngling.

Not that Bumblebee was helpless, mind you. Barricade had made sure to knock some sense into him about trust. Bumblebee just wasn't the best judge of character. Throw a smile his way, and he will befriend you for life. One harsh word, and you were the enemy. Unless you apologized at least once, then maybe Bumblebee would forgive you and gladly turn his back to you so one could stab him in the back.

It was these very thoughts that caused Barricade to clench his fists, worry swarming his thoughts.

"Stop thinking so negatively about me!" Bumblebee demanded, stomping his pede.

Barricade frowned. "I am not thinking about you negatively."

"Yes you are," Bumblebee stated, pointing at his own chassis. "I can feel it." He narrowed his optics. "Would you rather I experience the slums at your side, on your own terms, rather than force me out to learn the hard way with uncertainty?"

Barricade blinked, and the unease crept once more into his spark. He glanced down, relaxing his servos. He sighed tiredly, not looking back up to meet his brother's hopeful gaze. "Let me think about it," he said finally.

Bumblebee nodded, though the hope was there and displayed on his face so plainly. "Alright. You think on it."

Barricade had no doubt that Bumblebee would serve to remind him about his promise, but the time he had bought would allow him to come up with a good counter argument. Plus, what Bumblebee said was true. The drain pipe was not going to hold them for long, and they were both growing mechs. Barricade needed time to find a new home, if the slums could even be called a home.

* * *

Bumblebee shuffled around, grumbling as he moved about the small space. Finally, he slumped down against the slimy walls, sinking to the floor. He drew his knees up to his chassis, resting his helm on his folded arms. Unsurprisingly, Barricade had left before Bumblebee had awoken, leaving the youngling to scout out the drain pipe once more.

Nothing was new. He knew this drain pipe like the back of his servos. He had explored and memorized every single inch of the stinkhole, and he knew well enough that it would not be a suitable home for two growing mechs anytime soon.

He scoffed. Barricade was the one who was growing, despite the fact that he left the largest proportions of energon to Bumblebee. Yet, Bumblebee still seemed to be developing at a much slower rate.

Maybe it was one of the reasons he was abandoned, but that did not explain why Barricade was abandoned as well. Maybe they had both been born from different caste systems, and their carrier had been forced to give them up.

Bumblebee often wondered why they had been given up, or how he knew Barricade was in fact his brother. Yet he never truly dwelled on that last part for long. He always had a bond, a connection with Barricade as early as he could remember. He just knew. Barricade, if he even knew anything about their sire and carrier, did not say anything about it.

Bumblebee stiffened up at the sound that seemed to echo around him in the small space. He could have sworn he heard the sound of sharp claws raking against the metal pipe. He frowned as he straightened up. Sound traveled fast in the small space, but if he could hear it so distinctly, it might mean that there was someone already inside with him in the pipe.

His spark picked up speed and despite the small nagging feeling in the back of his helm telling him to control his feelings, panic overtook his spark. He scrambled up, ducking behind a crate. His spark hammered in his chassis, and he trembled slightly from where he hid.

Yet curiosity overtook him, and he peeked his helm over the crate to see a small, round orb slowly rolling through the pipe. Its beady, red light seemed to scan everything in its path, and Bumblebee ducked back down, optics wide with fright.

It was a probe. The only reason a probe would be down here was if someone had sent it in search of something. They wouldn't have come down here if they thought they could gain something of value to benefit them.

He squeezed his optics shut as he rocked back and forth in an effort to calm himself. The stories that Barricade had told him about the slave drivers was at the forefront of his mind, and it filled him with such strong fear. Very faintly, he reached out for that comforting thread that was his brother's connection. He touched that bond, and he was immediately assaulted with Barricade's annoyance at being disturbed. But the annoyance soon turned to worry when Barricade picked up on the distress his younger sibling was in.

Bumblebee latched onto that familiar connection, reassured and safe at last. His brother was now aware of his distress. Everything would be alright.

 _"Bumblebee, listen to me,"_ he heard Barricade order.

Barricade would take care of it. He knew Barricade could do anything. Already, Bumblebee could hear the probe coming closer to his hiding spot. But he would be fine. Barricade always knew what to do.

 _"Bumblebee,"_ Barricade said, his voice now heavy with panic. Bumblebee's spark picked up speed. Barricade was never panicked! _"I need you to move, now."_

If he moved, he would be found out. And what was the point? Barricade was just as scared as he was. Any second now, he would be found out.

 _"Bumblebee, get out of there!"_

"I...I can't," he whispered fearfully. He could hear the clicking sounds of the creature coming closer to him, wanting to grab at him.

 _"Bumblebee, run now!"_ Barricade screamed.

That scream, the screams of his brother, drove him into action. Scrambling to his pedes with fright, Bumblebee tore out of his hiding spot and past the startled drone. With breathless gasps, he ran out of the small space and through a tiny pipe. This time, he barely managed to squirm through, but he could hear the drone giving pursuit.

 _"I'm coming, I'm coming,"_ Barricade kept repeating. It was more for Barriace's sake then Bumblebee's, but he would take anything to hear the sound of his brother's voice. Bumblebee scrambled through frantically before the ground beneath him gave way. He fell downward into the sewage, the wet muck clogging up his armor.

With a gasp, he clawed to the surface before scrambling for the next opening he knew was in here. The sewers were an endless supply of tunnels, and Bumblebee had explored them all. Yet as his panic clouded his thinking, he found it difficult for him to remember where to go. Should he go to the right, or take the left tunnel? Which way led out?

The sound of the drone approaching helped him make up his mind, and he heaved himself upward with shaky limbs. Not giving himself a moment to breath, he crawled through, only to be met with no flooring.

His optics widened in fright as he realized he had chosen the wrong tunnel, yet he lost his balance and plummeted downward. With barely a squeak, he fell into the raging sewers. He tried to claw his way to the surface, yet the rapid flow carried him on with relentlessness. Gasping and choking, Bumblebee's last subconscious thought was reaching out to his brother for comfort before darkness took him captive.

* * *

Barricade scrambled up the path, his servos breaking away at the muck. He had seen the slave drivers hovering at the opening that used to be their home, and his spark had plummeted with dread.

But then his spark had picked up speed as Bumblebee's panic grew. Then there was nothing.

Only because of the weak spark signature was Barricade able to find Bumblebee beneath the sewer pipes. The youngling had been spat out, waste and muck covering his every being. The dirt and filth changed his appearance so much that if it had not been for the bond, Barricade would have doubted that it was his brother.

He gathered Bumblebee's small form in his arms, regardless of the muck that clung to him. With barely a sound, he flipped Bumblebee over on his stomach, patting his back firmly. "Wake up," he hissed desperately. "Wake up!"

Bumblebee's blue optics shuttered open before his tiny mouth gaped open to vomit up all the waste he had swallowed. Barricade grimaced, but kept patting his brother firnly on the back until Bumblebee let out a tired sigh, his optics shutting down as his body went limp.

"Bee?" Barricade choked out, his voice trembling as his spark ached. Yet Bumblebee's soft sigh of contentment caused him to sigh in relief. Lifting him up, Barricade carried his brother away from the land fill.

He took great care to stay in the shadows and away from the large crowds. Not once did he leave his brother's side, not did Bumblebee leave his arms.

Barricade did not say anything as his brother slumbered on, and during that silence, he would set out to try and find another suitable place for them to live. Yet, nothing was up to his standards. It was unsafe, or it was too close to the slavers.

Either way, they were two younglings who were now out in the open. That was what made the pipes so perfect. No one could get to them. Now, it was compromised.

Barricade huffed as he trudged upward. His arms felt heavy, and Bumblebee barely stirred. He glanced down at his brother's pained face, the worry growing inside of him with each passing second.

Pain exploded in his helm, causing him to fall to the ground with a pained cry. He still maintained a tight hold on Bumblebee and curled his body around the smaller form of his brother.

"Look, fresh meat," a voice snarled.

"Fetch us a good price, they will," another agreed, this one closer as he leaned in. "Them higher ups really like their younglings. Especially the submissive ones."

Barricade lashed out with an enraged snarl, swiping pathetically at the mecch's face. The deformed mech pulled back with a pained yelp, clutching at his face that was streaked with energon.

Barricade barely had time to move before a swift kick into his sides sent the air out of him as he flew across the street. He landed on the ground painfully, his sore body protesting from the harsh treatment.

He looked up with wide optics as he saw one mech slinging Bumblebee over his shoulder, and the panic within Barricade spread. "No! Don't take him!" He scrambled to his pedes before collapsing, his pedes failing him as the fatigue finally came in at full force.

Someone was screaming, and it was not him. He could faintly make out the sounds of a youngling, a familiar youngling, calling out his name. He looked up with bleary optics as the mech towered over him, reaching to grab him.

"Cade!" Bumblebee was screaming, his voice still hoarse as he kicked and punched at his captor. "Don't leave me! Please! Don't leave me!"

The mech's clawed servos reached out to grab Barricade's arm, and Bumblebee's plea echoed all around him.

Frenzy's dagger was out in a flash, slicing through the mech's servo before plunging into the mech's spark. With an enraged, pained cry, he fell to the ground with Barricade on top of him.

"Don't worry," Barricade promised, optics sparking with cold rage as he wielded the bloody dagger and set his sights on his captive brother. "I won't."

He was leaping toward the last mech, flinging the dagger that flew straight and true into the shoulders of its target. The mech let out an enraged scream as he fell, but he was not down yet, and Barricade knew it.

He jumped onto the mech, latching on as he fell to the ground with a scream. The dagger rose and fell, and Barricade did not stop. Not once did it occur to him, even when the mech was laying in a pool of energon, to stop his gruesome attacks.

 _"Them higher ups really like their younglings. Especially the submissive ones."_

They had meant to take Bumblebee, his own brother, away from him, and sell him. Rage consumed him at the very thought, those words mocking, carrying a haunted meaning.

Something slammed into his side, and he turned with a snarl, only to see Bumblebee embracing him as best as he could, his tiny arms wrapped around his waist. He was trembling, they both were, as they stood in silence. The dagger Barricade held slipped through his servo and clattered to the ground. His arms hung limply at his sides, and he brought them up to embrace Bumblebee, only to stop.

How could he even think of embracing him after what he had just done? He was a murderer! His servos were stained with the energon of two mechs.

His optics narrowed as he surveyed the bodies around him. They were hardly innocent mechs. They had attacked them with the intent of selling them into slavery.

 _"Them higher ups really like their younglings. Especially the submissive ones."_

He clenched his servos. No. He did not regret it. They had meant to use his brother for their own personal, selfish gain. Anyone who took a youngling and sold them into slavery for the benefit of credits and pleasure should be dammed to the Pits. There was no honor, no business in such a trade. And anyone who dealt with such cruel methods deserved to die.

Bumblebee's arms tightened around him, as if afraid to let him go. Barricade blinked as he looked at his younger brother. Not much separated them in age, yet already he felt much older. Bumblebee did not judge him, and he was safe. That was enough for Barricade.

He brought his arms up and lifted Bumblebee into his arms, carrying him away from the danger and the carnage that now stained their lives.

He hadn't meant to stumble up onto the better parts of the city. He was tired and deprived of energon, and Bumblebee was still too weak to walk. So it was there, as Barricade leaned heavily against the wall of an abandoned building did he see in the distance the gleaming towers of the Elite Cybertronians. There polished towers, so clean and pristine, throwing it all away on needless luxuries.

He let out an enraged yell, lashing out and crashing a scrap of metal, his optics flashing. He panted, his fury and anger growing. He was defenseless! He could do nothing to help himself or his brother. And because of him, Bumblebee would suffer, probably starve to death if the slavers didn't get to him first.

"C-Cade," a raspy voice said. He snapped his sharp gaze to see Bumblebee huddled beneath the scrap metal that Barricade had used to conceal his brother. The younglings wide, blue optics stared up at him with open guilt and worry. "I-I'm sorry."

The fight drained out of Barricade as he slumped down to the ground, defeated. "Not your fault," he muttered. "It's mine."

Bumblebee snuggled forward until he was curled up next to his brother's side. "It's the slave meanies."

Barricade's optics snapped back up to those distant buildings, so tall and proud, regardless of the bones they broke or the bodies they buried to obtain such wealth.

 _"Them higher ups really like their younglings. Especially the submissive ones."_

His optics narrowed, and his clenched servos trembled. "Yeah," he agreed. "And others."

They continued to stumble through the streets. Bumblebee seemed to be growing heavier with every step, yet Barricade knew it was just a sign that he was growing tired. He listened intently to his brother's breathing and knew he did not like it. His brother's condition was getting worse, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He grew resolute at the thought. No, there was something he could do.

He changed direction quickly and hurried up the path and past the rundown buildings. He huffed, his body protesting and pleading to rest. But he pushed on. Bumblebee did not have time, it was not something they had.

Finally, he reached the building that he sought. He nearly collapsed with joy as he stumbled through the doorway, and every noise inside went quiet as he leaned against the dark wall.

"Help," he gasped, holding Bumblebee close, the smaller youngling's helm limp. "Please," Barricade pleaded.

"Go home kid," one mech grunted as he turned back to his drink, not caring about the two helpless younglings in the room. Every single sinister mech turned their backs on Barricade, as if he was no more than a piece of scrap metal.

Desperation clawed at Barricade. "My brother," he said hoarsely as the strength all but left him. "Please."

"Kid?" a familiar voice said, filling Barricade with hope. He turned to stare at Frenzy who slinked out of the shadows. "What are you doing here?" the silver minicon demanded.

Barricade stared at him with determination. "I am here to see your boss."

Frenzy raised an optic ridge before chuckling. "For what?"

"My brother needs help," Barricade said. "Your boss can provide."

Frenzy glanced at Bumblebee before looking away, and it was an act that filled Barricade with rage. His brother was not some trinket to be regarded with little value! Yet no one seemed to understand that. No one but him.

"I'll pledge my services to him," Barricade argued. "I'll serve your boss, I swear!"

"The boss might see him without such a declaration," Frenzy commented.

"He's the only one who deserves my loyalty," Barricade growled. "He is trying to put a stop to the scraplets who did this to my brother! I will follow him if he helps me."

"And what can I help you with?" a different voice asked from behind Barricade. All noise ceased in the room as mechs of every shape and color went still to regard the new arrival. Barricade turned to stare up at the imposing silver gladiator who regarded him with narrowed optics.

"Bold words for a youngling such as yourself," the gladiator commented after a moment. He glanced at Bumblebee who had yet to move in Barricade's arms. The gladiator nodded to the faceless mech at his side. "Tend to his brother. No youngling should suffer such a painful fate."

Barricade watched numbly as his brother was gently taken away from him and carried away. He watched Bumblebee's small, fragile form vanish into another room, and his spark finally gave out with relief.

"Now," the gladiator said, pulling Barricade's attention away from his brother and back up to the tall mech. The gladiator folded his arms, optic ridge raised. "About your pledge. Were they truthful words?"

Barricade nodded before falling to his knees, servo placed over his spark. "They were, sir." Certainty filled him with the next declaration that escaped his mouth. "I pledge to serve you, Lord Megatron."


	2. Chapter 2

The outbreak of war was a startling one. It was a disruptive act that caught them all by surprise. The sudden terror in the streets, the homes, and the palaces ran rampant.

Cybertronian turned against Cybertronian as blurred lines were drawn. All knew and recognized the silver gladiator turned revolutionary leader who now declared war against the new Prime and the Council.

Mechs and femmes flockered to both sides, desperate to bring an end to the destruction before it gained a foothold on their world. Others avoided the fights as best they could, thinking it would blow over.

When months turned to years, it soon became evident that the war could not be so easily won. As cities were destroyed, leaders of both sides murdered, even the average Cybertronian was forced to learn how to wield a blaster.

Such a chaotic life was not new to Barricade or Bumblebee. They had both been caught in the crossfire immediately in the slums of Kaon as slaves and gladiators alike flocked to Megatron's side. The two younglings had stayed hidden, both aware that joining either side would mean possible death for them.

But as the fighting grew more intense, and the call to bear arms increased, both siblings found that they could not ignore it anymore. Already the bodies and destruction was piling high. Even Iacon, a city both Bumblebee and Barricade used to look on with longing, grew unsafe and uncertain.

Yet despite the chaos all around them, it was here that Bumblebee could not help but stare up in awe at the city towers. No longer gleaming and pristine, they were still magnificent in structure and height. The very buildings of Iacon seemed to command respect, even when respect was not earned.

"Stop gawking," Barricade hissed into Bumblebee's audio receptor, nudging his brother forward to follow their impatient guide. Bumblebee snapped his mouth closed and followed the Autobot soldiers with Barricade following closely behind. It was a small group they were following, yet not small enough as Bumblebee actually managed to slam into a pink femme in his haste. The femme turned to glare at him, to where he muttered his apologies while ducking his helm to avoid her inquisitive gaze.

"Don't tell me you aren't as awed as I am," Bumblebee whispered back, glancing at Barricade.

Barricade scoffed, though his optics flickered around with mild interest. Despite what he had said, Barricade was in fact interested in the city that he and his brother had admired from afar for so long.

"Are we making the right choice?" he asked suddenly, his voice low. They were in the far back, and there was no chance anyone had heard Barricade's possibly treasonous question. Bumblebee, however, had heard it.

The yellow mech looked at Barricade with slightly widened optics, yet he frowned thoughtfully as he looked away. "What else could we do?" he asked finally. "We couldn't just do nothing."

Barricade frowned. "Yes, we couldn't just do nothing. But...there was another way. The Autobots are not the only choice."

Bumblebee scoffed. "The Decepticons are just as bad as the Council."

"Yet the Autobots follow a Prime who was nominated by the Council," Barricade argued.

"Primus gave the Prime his right to achieve such a title," Bumblebee pointed out. Concern was now laced in his spark. Barricade could not honestly be thinking about joining the Decepticons? War was bad, and choosing the right side was always crucial. How did one justify which side was right? Who was fighting for the good of the people?

It had been something Bumblebee had readily jumped to, and he had concluded that the Autobots were the way to go. It had now just occurred to him that Barricade had remained silent on his beliefs.

Until now.

His spark twitched with worry as he gazed at Barricade. His brother's face was void of emotion, and for the first time, Bumblebee realized that he was unable to read his brother. It was an unsettling thought.

His fears were not soothed with Barricade's next words.

"Still, the Council remains active in the Autobot systems, and it was they who supported the new Prime," Barricade said as he strode forward.

Bumblebee stared at his brother's retreating back, spark clenched with further worry. Sensing his distress, Barricade stopped and slowly turned halfway to regard Bumblebee with an inquisitive look. Bumblebee tried not to look desperate as he searched Barricade's face and probed at the bond between them.

"Barricade," Bumblebee said softly, once more feeling like a youngling alone and abandoned on the streets.

Except he had never been alone. He always had his brother with him.

"I'm not leaving you Bee," Barricade assured him. He turned around and followed after their guide and the group who were almost out of sight.

Bumblebee looked down at the darkened floor, processor turning with new thoughts and feelings. A sense of dread filled him, jitters of the future fights he would come across, as well as the uncertainty he felt in his brother.

But he would fight those future battles with his brother at his side. They were abandoned together, they protected each other, and they would go through this together.

"Hey," he heard Barricade say, his voice jolting through Bumblebee's thoughts. "You coming? Or do you want to get lost?"

Before Bumblebee could mutter a reply, the pink femme whom Bumblebee had bumped into before called out with an annoyed shout. "You two keep dawdling like this, and the war will never be won!"

Bumblebee snapped to attention. "Yes sir!"

Barricade raised an optic ridge as Bumblebee scampered after them. "She's a cadet, just like you," he said with a trace of amusement. His amusement grew when he felt Bumblebee's embarrassment at the small slip up he made. It served as a good distraction though, as Bumblebee stopped pestering him about his feelings and troubled thoughts.

* * *

Barricade watched with a tight frown as his brother sat alone in the medical wing with the medic inside with him. A single glass panel separated him and his brother, so he could see and hear everything.

Bumblebee held his arm out, and Barricade could feel his brother's apprehension and bunched up nerves. In that moment, their optics locked, and Barricade folded his arms casually, attempting to look calm so that his brother would finally calm down.

For Primus's sake, it was just a signa! Nothing for Bumblebee to be worried about.

Still, his frown deepened as the medic applied the Autobot mark onto Bumblebee's shoulder. He tampered his feelings down so that Bumblebee would not sense his own unease. As he watched the Autobot symbol shape and form, he could not rid the feeling of hesitancy. He felt as if he was sealing his fate.

He felt as if he were...tying himself down was not the right word. More like he was subjecting himself to the very beings he had sought to avoid. His spark still burned with anger at the smallest mention of the Council and higher ups. He had to admit, his hot temper tended to control him, but it was not something he was ashamed of no matter how many times Bumblebee would try to play mediator between him and the unfortunate victim who was suffering Barricade's wrath.

Hs snapped out of his thoughts when the med bay doors opened as Bumblebee came out with a small smile. He proudly displayed the Autobot mark that was still hot from the torch. It was now a permanent mark that signified who Bumblebee now was.

"I didn't even squirm!" Bumblebee chirped with a teasing smirk. He inclined his helm to where the medic was waiting. "Your turn Cade, and remember not to twitch, or I'll hold it against you."

Barricade grunted and moved past his brother, only for Bumblebee to grab his arm. "Hey," the younger mech said softly, forcing Barricade to look at him. "It'll be alright, we are doing the right thing."

Barricade pulled his arm away from Bumblebee with a huff. "It's just a torch," he muttered as he entered the med bay. He did not need to turn to see his brother's conflicted face to know that the torch was not what Bumblebee had tried to reassure him about.

As he sat down on the med bay table, he glanced at the medic who immediately set to work. The sound of burning metal twisting and forming filled his audio receptors as the mark on his arm began to take form. As the Autobot symbol was being carved into his arm, he felt a piece of him fall into place. It was not right, it was a role that did not fit him. Trepidation started to fill him, and he wondered if he made the right decision in even making a decision at all.

Finally, the medic stood back with a satisfied nod. "Welcome to the Autobots," he said.

Barricade glanced down at the Autobot mark that described his alliance, a mark that had sealed his fate.

It did not get easier, nor did the feeling of animosity he was tormented by go away. What he was hostile with, he had no idea. But as the first battles were waged, he drowned it out. He relished the fight, enjoyed it in fact. But the slow burn of hatred towards the Council and everything it stood for was always there, mounting and building.

"You know they don't do that anymore," Bumblebee huffed as he blocked one of Barricade's blows. "Slavery, it's not practiced."

Barricade narrowed his optics as he lashed out at Bumblebee who barely dodged the attack. Good, so his brother's reflexes were getting faster, as were his observation skills.

It had not gone unnoticed by Bumblebee how conflicted his brother's thoughts and feelings were. How deep they went, Bumblebee was unsure.

"Secure your stance," a femme commented suddenly, causing Bumblebee so scramble back and straighten up to salute.

"Yes sir!" he exclaimed.

The blue femme raised an optic ridge and smirked in amusement as she turned on her heel to focus on her own sparring partner. Bumblebee blinked in confusion until Barricade approached him from behind. "She's a cadet like you, genius," he snorted.

Bumblebee's face heated up once more. "W-wasn't she pink before?" Bumblebee demanded.

"Oh?" Barricade asked. "Was she our guide?" He watched the formally pink, now blue femme engage her partner with incredible skill and ease. "Hm," he said. "I think the blue suits her."

"I think I miss the pink," Bumblebee commented.

Barricade nodded. "Yeah, nothing like a pretty femme to turn helms." Just as quickly, he grabbed Bumblebee's arm and flipped him over. The yellow mech let out a yelp as his body came in contact with the ground rather painfully. He squirmed and tried to escape his brother's iron grip, but Barricade held firm.

"Speaking of which," Barricade said mildly. "Never lose your focus to a pretty femme. It may cost you your life and give me the upper hand." He leaned forward to whisper in Bumblebee's audio receptor. "Naturally."

Bumblebee groaned when Barricade finally let him go, and he scrambled up to his pedes. "I'll beat you one of these days."

"You can try," Barricade commented dismissively. He turned his back on Bumblebee to pick up a sparing staff. His gaze was thoughtful as he fingered the weapon. Sensing his brother's troubled thoughts, Bumblebee cocked his helm. "Cade?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

Silence met him for several moments, and when Bumblebee wondered if he should repeat his question, Barricade spoke up. "I never thought the day would come when I would have to be wary."

Bumblebee frowned in confusion. "Wary?" he asked. When they were younglings, they always had to be wary. It was part of the reason that kept them alive. But he stayed silent and kept his thoughts to himself as he approached his brother and placed a servo on his shoulder. Barricade was still, a firm foundation that could not be moved.

Finally, Bumblebee spoke. "You do not have to be wary around me. You now that?"

Barricade turned to look at him with narrowed optics. "Do I?"

Bumblebee blinked, startled as hurt pierced through his spark. It was a hurt Barricade felt instantly. "Of course! I'm your brother, we're in this together."

"This war has destroyed many bonds. Why should ours be any different?" Barricade asked.

"Because you have never left me," Bumblebee asserted. "When everyone abandoned me, you stayed by my side, and I will do the same for you. I will never leave you."

Barricade continued to study Bumblebee, as if it was the last time he would ever see his brother. "You will follow me, no matter what?" Barricade reminded him.

Bumblebee gave a firm nod. "Of course. Your my brother Cade. I love you. This war can't change that."

Something shifted in Barricade's optics, and Bumblebee sensed a feeling of peace come over his brother. Without a word, Barricade pushed past his brother, leaving Bumblebee once more with confusion.

* * *

Missions came and went. Bumblebee trained, as did Barricade. One excelled in the art of war, the other could not overcome his compassion. Yet, they both improved equally. One pushed the other to fight to the bitter end, and the youngest served to remind him of why they fought so bitterly. They were prepped, they learned, and they were eager.

But the horrors of war had something else to teach them.

Their missions were usually meant to scout and guard. No confrontation was needed. Slip in, slip out.

Simple, easy, effective. Not a shot was fired on their part, though one was more itchy to pull the trigger then the other.

Until that all changed. Bumblebee did not know what they had been guarding, but Barricade had a vague idea what it was that they were meant to protect. The Decepticons wanted it, as did the Autobots.

Then the Decepticons had attacked. They attacked hard, and swiftly.

Mechs and femmes on both sides fell to the torrent of blaster fire or by the sword. Bumblebee did the first thing his instincts told him to do in all the chaos: take cover.

The ledge provided him with a good view below to the battlefield. A perfect spot for a sniper.

Bumblebee's servos shook as he took aim. He could see his brother battling with one Decepticon, and it shocked him to the core how fast and easy Barricade pulled out the Cybertronian's spark. Through the bond, he could feel his brother's ruthlessness, and how eager he was. His expression was cold, curled into a snarl. In that instant, his optics locked with Bumblebee.

"Shoot Bee!" he shouted, running into the foray of battle.

Yet Bumblebee was frozen. Shoot? He had never killed anyone before! Yet for all his instincts telling him to shoot and kill, his body would not move.

Barricade sensed it, and he knew what such hesitation would cost his brother.

 _"Shoot Bee, shoot now!"_ Barricade snarled through the bond. His fist rammed into the face of a Cybertronian. _"The weak die, Bee. You are not weak! Shoot!"_

Bumblebee's servos shook as he trained his rifle on one large Decepticon, one who was coming after him with a roar. Despite the immediate danger, Bumblebee still could not shoot.

Barricade looked up from where he was pummeling one Decepticon, optics wide when he witnessed the danger his brother was in. His gun was out and pointed at the immediate threat, yet he did not shoot. Bumblebee had to learn, and he would learn the hard way that lives would have to be taken, sometimes by his own servos, to ensure his survival.

But Barricade would be the safety net if his brother failed this dangerous test. His active gun was proof enough of that.

But he would prefer that his brother learn this lesson now.

"Shoot Bee!" he screamed.

A shot rang out. Many shots were going off, but only one was heard by Barricade. The Decepticon threatening Bumblebee fell to the ground, revealing, the young, yellow Autobot's horrified face.

Barricade nodded in satisfaction as he turned back to the battle at hand. He knew that he would need to perform damage control when they got back to base.

In the stillness of the aftermath, Barricade could feel the loud, desperate emotions of his brother. He had expected this. Bumblebee had remained silent on the trip back. The failure of the mission was a blow to them all. But Bumblebee was especially silent, and had retreated to the safety of the hidden rooms.

He found his brother huddled in the dark corner, knees pulled up to his chassis, his form shaking slightly.

"I...I killed him," Bumblebee said in a harsh whisper, as if unable to believe what he had done.

Barricade stepped into the room, the door closing behind him. He did not bother to reach out through the bond to feel his brother's turmoil. He did not like touching their feelings through the bond. Bumblebee was always the one who reached out through the bond, not Barricade.

Not once did that bother him.

He shrugged. "Yes. And you will kill many more."

Bumblebee's helm snapped up. "No! I can't!"

"You can and you will," Barricade said firmly. "To survive. You will kill many more to survive. And by doing so, you will prove that you are stronger than them all."

"I don't want to be stronger," Bumblebee said.

He had expected that. It was who his brother was. He was innocent, even after learning to fight, learning to kill.

He would not survive long if he kept such ideals of peace.

"Then you will die," Barricade said simply, reaching out to open the door and leave.

"Cade," Bumblebee said, and Barricade could almost hear the sparkling in his brother's voice.

"Don't, Bee," Barricade said as the door opened. "I cannot give you what I do not have, so don't expect to receive what you hope." With that, he stepped out of the room and left his brother alone in the dark.

He left Bumblebee alone, knowing the moment when his brother finally pulled himself together. But he could tell that Bumblebee was barely holding it together. One pull, and he would unravel at the seams. Through the bond, he could sense his brother approach them all in the training hall. Like the scout he was trained to be, he was silent, but Barricade still sensed him.

As the yellow mech slipped into the room, his optics glanced at Barricade, and he noticed the hollowness in Bumblebee's optics. Barricade nodded to him, nudging him through the bond. Bumblebee looked away, though he straightened his shoulders and raised his helm. The emotion was bottled up and tucked away.

Time would pass. Time would change him. And when time did change Bumblebee and finally break him down, then Barricade would be there to shape and mold him back together the way he saw fit.

* * *

Time went on. Time changed them all. Ideals, strengths, and loyalties were revised.

Barricade's brooding hatred for the Higher Ups did not change.

Today was evidence of such hatred.

The mech beneath him crumbled to the ground. Fists pumled the defensless being, yet he could care less if this was honorable or not. Rage consumed him, and that was all that mattered.

The mech that was now at his mercy curled up to try and protect himself, energon leaked out of the sharp cuts and wounds, yet Barricade did not care as he continued in his attacks. His vision was blurred by hatred and rage.

Shouts could be heard behind him, telling him he had gone too far and to stop. He didn't care if he went too far. Only one Cybertronian even mattered to him.

Ironic that it was the same Cybertronian who was able to stop him. With strong arms wrapped around him, Barricade was pulled away from his former sparring partner. He growled and tried to lunge at the bleeding and broken red mech as medics rushed to assist the mech.

A snarl tore through Barricade's voice as he struggled against whoever was holding him. In that moment, the mech he had beaten to a pulp looked up at him with narrowed blue optics. He stood up, straight and tall, his noble armor showing off his status. Mirage was a strong mech, yet that was all he had. That and his privileged background as a higher up.

 _"Them higher ups really like their younglings. Especially the submissive ones."_

Barricade trembled as the memories came flooding back. It was mechs like him, mechs like Mirage, who had tried to take his brother away. Mechs like that, who used sparklings as slaves, did not deserve to live. They deserved to be crushed beneath his pede.

"Cade!" a voice pleaded, breaking through his rage, and he turned to see the worried optics of his brother as Bumblebee tried to restrain him. Staring into those blue optics was all Barricade did to focus on the chaos around him. He almost went limp in his brother's hold, yet he forced himself to stand. Questions swarmed in Bumblebee's optics, yet he refrained from asking them.

But Barricade would voice his own.

"You promised," he said lowly, not breaking his gaze. "Right?"

Bumblebee blinked and could only stare. Yet, for all its cryptic message, he understood what it was that Barricade was asking. He nodded. "I promise," he said.

It was a promise to never leave him, to stay by his side. It was a promise they both understood. Barricade straightened up and nodded to Bumblebee, not paying attention to the Cybertronians staring at him or the haughty glares Mirage sent him.

"I'm done with this," Barricade hissed to Bumblebee, causing his brother to blink in surprise. "I have to get out of here."

He turned sharply on his heel and left the room. The promise filled his mind, filled him with certainty. He had his brother at his side, that was all that mattered. Bumblebee would follow him, and it was time to take the next step forward.

Unaware of how to address the swirling vortex that was his brother's feelings, Bumblebee sagged back with a resigned, tired sigh. Time was what his brother needed, and it was time that he best needed alone. Talk never truly got through to Barricade, and even now, Bumblebee wasn't too sure what could get through to Barricade.

Aside from a good swift kick to the helm, but that might resort in a painful retaliation that Bumblebee really did not want.

The training room thinned out as the initial excitement dissipated. Bumblebee glanced over at Mirage, who was still wincing in pain. Bumblebee grimaced. He knew full well that Barricade never held back, even when sparring.

Confusion continued to fill him as he could only wonder what exactly had triggered his brother's violent response.

"You should talk to him," a voice said, jolting him from his thoughts.

He glanced down to see the blue femme standing at his side. Her expression was thoughtful as she glanced at him, her blue optics narrowed slightly, yet containing no hostility. The pink highlights in her armor stood out slightly, and he recognized her instantly as the pink femme who had led him and Barricade through the base. He also recognized her as the powerful little two wheeler who could wrangle with the toughest of mechs. Everyone knew that Arcee was not to be judged by for her small stature.

He glanced back in the direction Barricade had stormed off to. "I have learned that it is best to leave him alone for awhile and let him dwell on his thoughts before approaching him."

"Don't let him stew for too long," she stated, folding her arms. "He is a mech who is doubting himself, doubting his purpose in this chaotic mess we've all landed ourselves in." She looked at him. "Don't let him doubt the cause we are fighting for, and don't let him doubt you."

Bumblebee watched her leave as she joined her partner in the halls. The two of them walked off, but not before Arcee gave him another knowing glance.

Bumblebee sighed before pushing himself off the wall and striding down the empty halls. He followed the pulse in his spark, knowing full well that it would lead him to his brother.

Sure enough, the darkened halls revealed a lone, dark mech, fingering with a small metal object in his servos. Barricade did not even glance up as Bumblebee approached him. The yellow mech stood there awkwardly, not sure what to say.

"I thought that you only saved those hard punches for me," Bumblebee joked half-heartedly.

Barricade's mouth twitched. Whether it was in amusement or not, Bumblebee was unsure. "I always save the best for you."

Bumblebee rubbed his jaw. "I wouldn't exactly call your punches a treat."

"They are if they sharpen your reflexes," Barricade said. Barricade sat down on one of the crate boxes, fiddling with the round orb that held his attention.

Bumblebee knelt down next to him. As there were no more large crates, he settled for the floor. He leaned in, resting his helm on his brother's knee. He stayed there for a precious few seconds in silence, wondering if the quiet was what his brother really needed.

Barricade grunted, shoving at Bumblebee. "Get off you needy sparkling."

Bumblebee hummed as he rested his helm back on Barricade's knee, ignoring his brother's grumbling. "Nah," he quipped. "I'm comfortable right here."

"Well I'm not," Barricade huffed, giving one last shove. Bumblebee chuckled as he moved, though he stayed seated on the floor. He nodded to the object in Barricade's servos. "What's that?" he asked.

Barricade tossed the orb to Bumblebee. "Take a look for yourself."

Bumblebee caught the object swiftly, frowning in concentration as he fiddled with the object. He frowned as he tried to figure out what it was, and why it held Barricade's attention. "Is it like some puzzle? You twirl pieces of the orb around and open it?"

"Something like that," Barricade confessed. "Nothing truly important."

Bumblebee nodded, still staring at the round orb. "Oh."

"But it is a highly destructive bomb that can melt any type of steal," he said casually.

Bumblebee pulled back, optics wide. "Oh! How does it work?"

Barricade smirked. "You turn the pieces back together. A timer will be set, and the bomb will melt anything within five feet. Pretty impressive, huh?"

"Doubly so," Bumblebee breathed, staring at it with awe. "How'd you get it?"

Barricade shrugged. "Some little guy who enjoys tinkering with junk. You keep it though, you'll have more use of it."

They fell into silence once more, and Bumblebee found that he really did not need to speak. But Barricade seemed like he had something weighing heavily on his mind. "You come here to scold me?" Barricade asked.

Bumblebee scoffed. "That's your job. You're the oldest."

"Then admonish me. Tell me I'm wrong."

"Still the job of the oldest."

"You didn't answer the question," Barricade said impatiently, and Bumblebee instantly knew that it would not be wise to dodge the question.

"I came to keep you company," Bumblebee said finally. "But I would like to know what set you off. Mirage is a good guy, so what gives?"

Barricade grunted, and Bumblebee could feel the animosity stemming from within him. "He was a higher up," Barricade growled. "The spawn of a councilman."

Bumblebee felt his alarm arise. He understood his brother's hatred for nobles, but to actually take it so far to attack a mech? "That doesn't make him a bad Cybertronian!"

"He's one of them!" Barricade hissed.

"That does not define who he is," Bumblebee protested, pulling away.

"Sure it does," Barricade said, venom laced in his voice. "It defies who they all are!"

"Then am I scum for growing up in the wastelands?" Bumblebee demanded, rising up. "Does my background define who I am? Maybe I should have been a slave, or a piece of scraplet meat that I was born to be."

Silence reigned between them, both brothers glaring at each other. In that moment, Bumblebee could instantly tell that this conversation had gone south. He was not even sure how to salvage it. He could feel Barricade withdraw from the bond, shutting up into a tight cage that Bumblebee could not unlock.

"You said you were with me," Barricade said, his voice dark. "Are you really?"

"Always," Bumblebee said firmly. "But at times, you truly scare me."

Barricade arose from his seat, expression unreadable. "Get used to it, Bee, and grow up. Frivolous wishes are pointless in war."

* * *

Bumblebee crouched down in the dirt, his spark pulsing with anticipation. Despite the stillness of the dark night, he felt like he was in tune to every little sound. He could hear the crunch of his pedes on the gravel, his labored breathing, the slight caress of the wind.

 _"We will be radio silent from here on out,"_ Commander Roda Storm said, her voice soft. _"Slip in and out."_

A chorus of "copy that" was heard, Bumblebee also repeating his own affirmation as well. He took that as his cue to move. His blasters were out as he scouted the area, alert and watchful. The small encampment of the decepticon base was easy to spot, and it filled him with eagerness.

If their intel proved truthful, then they would be able to slip into the Decepticon encampment without triggering any alarms. This was honestly the first time Bumblebee had been without Barricade at his side, though the presence of his comrades was a comfort. Arcee and Tailgate were a well known force to be reckoned with, and they were not too far from his spot. At the moment, Bumblebee had been assigned to work with Blur, a team up that Bumblebee felt comfortable with. Commander Roda Storm and the rest of the team were sheltered in a small Autobot encampment, waiting and watchful.

Bumblebee breathed in and out deeply as he snuck through near the Decepticon gates that were hidden in the alcloves of the canyon. He watched as Blur worked on the coding system, his fingers as fast as his speech. With a satisfying 'click' the locks gave away and Blur nodded rapidly to Bumblebee who sprinted inside. Two hasty blaster shots were fired with accuracy, and the two lone Decepticons in the room fell to the ground, dead.

"Disable the systems," Bumblebee said swiftly, but he needn't say anything as Blur was already working diligently at the consoles.

"Alarms are down," Blur said, his voice a breathy rush. "Systems are down….and…" he smirked in triumphant. "Access to the grounds are granted."

Bumblebee gave Blur a glare for keeping the suspense up, but the speedy bot just ignored him. Bumblebee huffed and stood guard over the closed doors, audio receptors alert for any approaching Decepticons. His entire body was tense and alert, spark hammering, yet this was the same situation he always found himself in. Nothing was different this time.

Except for the slight tug in his spark.

It was from Barricade. His brother was anxious, anxious about what, Bumblebee did not know. The feeling of dread that was not Bumblebee's increased, along with a flicker of pain that accompanied the feeling.

Alarm coursed through Bumblebee, and he took a step forward in the direction he just knew his brother was in. "Blur," he said distantly. "You got this covered?"

"Um, yeah," the blue Autobot responded distractedly, still typing away at the consoles. "I'm good, why?" He looked up just in time to see Bumblebee step out of the room. "What are you doing?" he asked sharply.

Bumblebee looked at him. "Barricade is in trouble."

Blur huffed, placing his hands on his hips. "We are all in trouble, Bee!"

"You don't understand!" Bumblebee protested. "Barricade is-" But whatever he was about to say was cut off with a sharp alarm that flooded throughout the base. Both mechs tensed up, looking around them with growing dread as the entire area erupted in an alarm.

"I thought you disabled the alarms!" Bumblebee exclaimed.

"I did!" Blur snapped, typing rapidly on the console. He swore. "Someone's tampering with the systems! We've been compromised." He activated his comm link. "Autobots, retreat, now!"

The feeling of dread that Bumblebee was feeling from his brother did not decrease, and it spurred Bumblebee into action. "I'm going to get Barricade," Bumblebee said, hurrying out before Blur could say anything. He ignored his partner's warnings, worry for his brother stronger than anything else.

In the maze of the base, Bumblebee followed the thread that was the bond between him and Barricade. It guided him, pointed him in the right direction. Not once had it failed him.

 _"Barricade,"_ he said through the bond as he ran. _"Where are you? There's an attack on the-mrf!"_ His thoughts were cut off when someone grabbed him roughly from behind and dragged him into the shadows. He went to strike out, but his attacker anticipated his moves and locked Bumblebee's arms to his sides. Just as Bumblebee was going to ram his helm back and into his attackers face, the mystery mech spoke.

"Apparently, I am still stronger than you, little brother."

Bumblebee relaxed into Barricade's hold, stepping away when he was released. "Cade!" he hissed. "What are you doing sneaking around in the shadows? We need to retreat!"

Barricade looked like he was about to answer, but Bumblebee rushed on. "Never mind, we have to go." He grabbed Barricade's servo and attempted to run back in the direction ha came from. "C'mon! They need us-hey!" He stumbled to a halt when he fell back as Barricade did not move. Bumblebee looked down to see Barricade looking at their enclosed servos.

Worry filled Bumblebee's spark. "Cade?" he asked. Was his brother injured? Did the Decepticons attack him earlier?

Barricade finally looked up at him. "Bee," he said softly. "Are you truly with me?"

Bumblebee blinked. "Of course!" The sincerity in his voice, as well as in his spark that pulsed through their brother bond was there, and it was strong. He felt it, as did Barricade.

Barricade nodded. "Good." He tugged on Bumblebee's servo. "Then follow me."

Bumblebee frowned with growing confusion as he was led away from the fight, but he followed his brother further along down the halls. Neither of them spoke, and Bumblebee could not help but feel a bit edgy.

Sounds of rough voices could be heard in the distance, voices that he was not familiar with. Bumblebee dug his pedes into the ground, bringing them both to a stop. "Barricade," he asked, keeping his voice low. "What is this?"

Barricade looked at him, and Bumblebee felt a flash of annoyance run through his brother. "Do you trust me?" he demanded.

Bumblebee nodded. "Yes." Although, he had a strong urge that he should not, and he felt like a traitor for it.

"Then shut up," Barricade growled. "And do as I say." He tried to drag Bumblebee forward, but the yellow mech stood firm.

"This is the wrong way!" Bumblebee protested. "We are deeper in Decepticon territory, which puts us all at risk!"

"The Decepticons will not harm you as long as you are with me," Barricade said firmly.

Bumblebee stopped, confusion flooding through him. "What? Why would the Decepticons show mercy to us? We're Autobots!"

"Not anymore," Barricade said firmly, his optics dark.

Bumblebee stuttered, staring at him. "Of course we are! We took an oath to fight alongside Prime and-"

"Before that, I took an oath to Megatron," Barricade said firmly. "The Autobots will restore us to the government of the High Council, but the Decepticons will ensure that such tyranny will never happen again."

"But Megatron is a tyrannical leader!" Bumblebee protested. "We are Autobots, not Decepticons! And when did you take a blasted oath for Megatron? Why would you do such a stupid thing-"

"To save your life!" Barricade snarled. "Not once did I regret swearing my allegiance to Lord Megatron, don't make me regret saving your life back then!"

Back then. What did he mean 'back then'? There were many times when Barricade had saved Bumblebee. How far back did this go? More importantly, how could he have let it happen?

"But you couldn't have sworn to Megatron!" Bumblebee protested. "Y-you fought the Decepticons when we were ambushed so many times, and-"

"I alerted the Decepticons to to our positions," Barricade growled. "This," he gestured around to the flickering alarms. "Is all my doing. The Decepticons raid the base while we make a break to join them."

Bumblebee's spark dropped. "No," he whispered. His aching spark reached out to touch the bond, but Barricade withdrew from his mental touch.

Just as he always did.

"Now," Barricade said swiftly. "Are you with me, or not?"

Bumblebee wanted to speak, but he could not even move. Barricade searched his face, and Bumblebee saw a flicker of emotion cross him. "You'll thank me for this," Barricade said suddenly.

Before Bumblebee could inquire what that meant, Barricade shoved him backwards and into the storage compartment. Bumblebee yelped as he fell back, landing hard on the ground. Scrambling, he looked up just in time to see Barricade seal the door shut, trapping Bumblebee inside.

"Barricade!" Bumblebee screamed, launching himself at the door and pounding on it with his fists. "Barricade, let me out! This can't hold me forever!"

"It's not meant to," came his brother's gruff response. "But it will contain you long enough."

"Primus Cade, let me out!" But his cries went unanswered as he heard Barricade's pede steps fade away. "Barricade!" Bumblebee threw his body-weight against the door, knowing he would not be able to break it down himself with brute strength. He pulled back before firing his blasters at the door, the blaster bolts doing little to know damage.

With a growl of frustration, Bumblebee straightened up and reached for his comm link. "Blur, I am in need of-" he cut off when he was met with nothing but static. Bumblebee looked around hopelessly, noting that the vents were too small for him to crawl through, and everything around here was made of metal that he could not break through.

Something clicked around in his arm compartments, and an idea blossomed to Bumblebee's mind. He couldn't break through, but something else could.

He opened his arm compartment and withdrew the small orb Barricade had given to him once. Bumblebee had never found the perfect time to use it, but it looked like now was the time.

He hurried over to the door and activated the bomb. A small, flickering green light pulsed, and Bumblebee hurried back and positioned all the crates he could gather. Positioning the crates in between himself and the bomb, Bumblebee hunkered down and waited.

The bomb exploded, and a searing heat washed over Bumblebee. He did not even wait to spring to his feet, noticing the gaping, melted metal that was destroyed from the bomb. Bumblebee hurried out, bursting out into the open.

"Commander!" Bumblebee said through the comm link in a rush, hunkerign down as bladster fire came his way. "I need a bridge!" But there was no answer. Swearing, Bumblebee withdrew his blaster and fired at the Decepticons coming his way.

A blue flash passed by Bumblebee, and he turned just in time to see Blur engage the Decepticons with a battle cry. "Go!" Blur shouted to Bumblebee. "A bridge is open in the control room!"

Bumblebee needed no further convincing as he ran alongside Blur. "Why would you open a bridge to our camp?" Bumblebee demanded as they ran. "That'll give away our location!"

Blur yelped when they ran into another hoard of Decepticons. "I didn't!" he shouted. "Someone else did when I left!"

Someone else. Someone who had no qualms for the Autobots. Someone who knew their location, and whose loyalty was now being called into question.

"Cade," he whispered in horror. "We have to get back to the camp and warn Commander Roda Storm!"

Blur grunted as he avoided the range of fire. "Go! I'll hold them off!"

Bumblebee scrambled to his pedes, ducking into the next hallway as the blaster bolts burned at his armor. With a grunt, he ran towards the control room, desperation clawing at his spark. Bursting into the room, he saw that there was indeed, a ground bridge locked on their camp. Not even hesitating, he ran through with his blasters out.

The sight that met him nearly sent him running back through.

The small Autobot encampment was in ruins. A trove of Decepticon seekers could be seen retreating in the distance, the smoke of the damage reaching the sky. Bodies of mechs and femmes Bumblebee had served alongside were strewn around. Gaping energon wounds and dead, lifeless optics stared up at Bumblebee.

The sound of gunfire up ahead caught his attention, and he looked up with wide optics to witness one lone Autobot fighting the hulking figure of a dark mech.

Roda Storm fought viciously, her movements quick and vicious, yet she was wounded, her energon leaking out from the many injuries she had sustained. The mech poised against her was quick and brutal.

Bumblebee caught sight of the dagger, feelings that were not his own flooded through him, and it was in that moment that he knew who Roda Storm was fighting.

"Cade! No!" he screamed, running forward with his guns raised. But he would never be fast enough in this moment.

The dagger fell without hesitation. Bumblebee watched as his Commander's optics widened with pain as her spark was ripped out. Barricade stepped back as her body fell at his pedes.

"Cade," Bumblebee said weakly. Despite the distance, Barricade was alerted to his presence and looked at him with narrowed optics. Bumblebee stumbled toward him, not wanting to look at the death around him and instead focusing on his brother.

A traitor.

"How could you?" Bumblebee said with horror, his guns slowly raising to point at the commander's murderer.

"It's done," Barricade said simply. "We can leave now."

Bumblebee shook his helm. "Don't do this. We can go back...and...and figure something out-" Even as he said it, he knew there was nothing to figure out.

"Pathetic," Barricade snapped, shoving Bumblebee up against the ruined walls. The useless blasters Bumblebee held fell to the ground with a loud clatter. "Quit your whining and come with me."

Bumblebee grasped at Barricade's servos. "I can't do this Barricade!" Dear Primus, was he going to have to fight his own brother?

As if sensing the treacherous thought, Barricade smirked. "You know you will have to. Do you have the guts to turn your back on me? To point a blaster at my helm? Or," something sharp and cold slid up Bumblebee's chassis, and he realized with horror that it was a dagger.

A dagger that Barricade was holding over Bumblebee's spark.

"Slide a dagger through my chassis?" Barricade said, his smirk now sinister and dark.

Bumblebee swallowed fearfully, but his reslove grew as he looked into Barricade's optics. "Do you?" he demanded.

Barricade's spark faltered for a moment, and he loosened his grip on Bumblebee. "No," he confessed. "I don't."

Both Cybertronians were tense, not daring to move. When the dagger was lowered, Bumblebee sighed in relief, only to let out a choked cry when the dagger pierced through his armor and into his shoulders. He crumbled to the ground, holding the wound that was now bleeding with energon.

"But the shoulder will do," Barricade commented.

"C-Cade," Bumblebee gasped as pain flooded through him. He hissed when Barricade knelt down to him and forcefully lifted his chin. He was met with the cold stare of the mech he once knew as his brother.

"I am running out of time and patience," Barricade said. "You will either come with me, or I will leave you here to die."

"I...I can't!" Bumblebee gasped. "Y-you can't!"

Barricade released him. "I can, and I will. What do you plan to do, if your Prime wins this war? Will you recline back in your wealth and forget where you came from? Will you ignore the needs of the people just to fill your own selfish gain? Will you follow a noble blindly, just so they will ensure your safety? That...that is what sickens me."

"I can never forget my past," Bumblebee growled as he slowly pushed himself up to his knees. He stared at his brother. "I can never forget the nobles who sold us into slavery and who left us for dead in the streets." He drew in a shaky breath. "Nor can I forget the oppressive tyrants that squashed us in the filth we were supposed to live in. Tyrants like Megatron, and you shouldn't forget that either."

Something sharp seared through his spark, and Bumblebee cried out, his initial fear being that Barricade had actually driven the dagger through his spark. It took him a moment to realize that Barricade was on his knees as well, gasping in pain. It was then a horrible thought occurred to him.

Barricade was severing the bond.

"No," Bumblebee whispered. "Cade, don't!" He screamed when the fragile bond was finally sliced through, and Bumblebee felt his spark burst from the lost connection. He clawed at his chassis, trying to end the pain.

A clawed servo grabbed his face, and he looked into the optics of his brother.

"I denounce you," he spat, and those words hurt more than the severed bond.

"Get away from him!" a voice screamed, and the sharp servos were wrenched away from him. Blaster fire filled the room, and Bumblebee sagged back, covering up his wounded spark, a spark that was now in tatters. His vision became blurred, yet he could only focus on the green light that was the ground bridge, and the form of his brother stumbling through it.

"Bumblebee, Bumblebee, wake up!" he heard a femme call out. He identified the voice as Arcee.

But he did not focus on her. His optics were trained on Barricade, who vanished through the ground bridge.

"Don't leave me," Bumblebee whimpered.

"I'm not going anywhere," he heard Arcee say. "We are getting you a medic."

But he was not talking to her. His thoughts were far off. "He promised," he said. "He promised me."

The voice of a small youngling pierced through his memory. It was a plea, a cry for help, one that had once been answered. _"Cade! Don't leave me! Please don't leave me!"_

Somewhere, alone in a dark ship, a fractured mech was dwelling on the same thoughts. His spark in tatters, he silenced the voices of the past with bitterness.


	3. Chapter 3

Bumblebee stared at the grey wall, arms folded as he regarded the ins and outs of the many Cybertronians passing by. Out of the corner of his optics, he could see the many Cybertronians sparring or fiddling with their blasters. The sounds of playful shouts, taunts, and the clash of metal on metal met his audio receptors. It was all familiar, yet he still wanted to detach himself from it all for a moment.

Bumblebee let out a small sigh, shoulders slumping slightly. He glanced away from the training room and went back to his pointless wall staring.

"How long are you going to wait for that wall to change from grey to blue?" a voice asked.

Bumblebee looked up as Arcee strode toward him, her steps sure and unhurried. He smirked lightly when she joined him.

"About as long as it'll take you to go from blue to pink," he commented.

She snorted as she folded her arms and casually leaned up against the opposite wall. "Blue is less flashy then pink," she stated. "Makes it harder for the enemy to make me out as a bright target."

"Tell that to Elite-One," Bumblebee stated. "I think you should go back to pink."

"Not happening Bee," she said firmly. She nodded to him. "So what are you doing here, sulking in the dark?"

Bumblebee stiffened up. He was most certainly not sulking! He was contemplating, and deeply at that. However, his thoughts were an unusual torture to him, as they had come to be over the years. Even after all he had been through, his thoughts and reflections were harmful to him. In truth, he was his own worst enemy.

He focused once more on the oh so fascinating wall, rather then look at Arcee's inquisitive gaze. "It was nothing," he said softly. "Just thinking about the upcoming mission," he clarified when he saw her narrowed, disbelieving optics.

There was no way that he was going to tell her that he had froze on the battlefield when he caught sight of Barricade. He didn't need to tell her that, yes, after all these years, the sight of his brother still hurt. Even now, his tattered spark with the severed bond yearned for that connection once more; a connection that could never be repaired.

He had never been looked on with such hate, such disgust by his own brother. He had never been afraid of his brother then. Every time they met, Barricade fought with the intent to kill. His red optics burned with hate, and he held no qualms for the harm he inflicted on Bumblebee.

Bumblebee didn't tell Pharma about the event when he was questioned, and he had no intention of telling Arcee or anyone else.

Bumblebee learned to push past it. He learned to ignore the empty ache in his spark, the emptiness that his brother used to reside in. There was no remorse left in Barricade, and it hurt him to think that his brother was so far gone.

He wondered if Barricade ever dealt with such thoughts. If so, then it served him right to be tormented as much as Bumblebee was with these painful memories.

* * *

 _The silver mech's words resonated throughout the small area. Bumblebee could recall the cheers, the heat, the passion behind the revolutionists words. The feelings changed with the memories. Sometimes the crowds were smaller, or the heat was less sweltering. But what he could recall clearly and without a doubt was his brother's full and undivided attention into the speech._

 _Barricade had been engrossed, his face easy to read as one who was completely enthralled. Bumblebee had noticed how his brother's helm would nod ever so slightly in agreement, his optics alight with a different fire. It was a fire, not meant to cleanse, but a fire that would incinerate._

 _Bumblebee wanted change, he really did. He prayed for it. But he would willingly follow someone who would abolish the corrupt and strive for peace, not one who saw violence as an only means to dominate and crush._

 _It became clear that Barricade did not feel that way. His brother admired the violent proposals that Megatron preached, while Bumblebee always felt a sense of mistrust._

 _But he would never dare speak of his feelings to Barricade. Not when those fired up optics were focused on him. He never spoke of his mistrust, for fear that the fire would turn on him and incinerate him as well._

* * *

Both Arcee and Bumblebee looked up at the sound of someone shouting. Arcee grimaced. "Looks like Tailgate needs to improve his aim." She shook a finger at Bumblebee. "Don't go anywhere."

He shrugged with a grin, his spark still reeling from the memories he had just experienced. "Nowhere to go," he said as she hurried off. Now, alone with the silence as his companion, he looked down once more with his spark weighing heavily. He closed his optics, breathing in and out as his spark trembled.

Red optics flashed before him. Bitterness, hatred, disgust; it was all directed at him.

" _You promised, right?"_

"Cade," he breathed out, squeezing his optics shut even tighter as he tried to push back the memories.

"Let it go, Bumblebee," a deep voice said softly.

Bumblebee's optics snapped open, only to widen in shock when he saw who was speaking to him. Immediately, he snapped to attention. "Sir!" he saluted.

Optimus Prime stepped out of the shadows, regarding the scout before him. "Please, do not continue with the formalities." At once Bumblebee relaxed his formal stance, now unsure how to act. Should he fold his arms? Or would that seem rude and hostile? But hanging them loosely at his sides seemed stupid and informal. But Optimus did say not to be formal.

All of this was giving him a helm ache.

As if aware of Bumblebee's thoughts, Optimus smiled. To Bumblebee's shock, the Prime leaned against the wall across from Bumblebee, folding his arms in a relaxed manner. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

Bumblebee blinked. "Um, no sir! Not at all." He looked down quickly. "I wasn't even doing anything important anyway." He frowned when a thought occurred to him. "What did you mean when you told me to 'let go'?"

Optimus tilted his helm back, and Bumblebee heard the deep sigh come from the Prime. "You wear the face of one burdened with heavy thoughts. You have worn it numerous times, and I have seen many others like you descend into an endless void and never make it out." Optimus observed him. "You are dwelling on many things."

Bumblebee looked away from the blue gaze of his leader. "As are many others," he dismissed quietly. "My burdens do not halt the war, and they do not need to cost others their lives." He would need to remember that the next time he met Barricade. He needed to be stronger then what he was so that he could pull the trigger. In ending his destructive brother's life, he would be sparring many others from dying at Barricade's weapon. Primus knew Barricade was determined to kill Bumblebee and show him no mercy. Why should Bumblebee extend the same sort of mercy at the cost of his own life?

And yet…

" _Because you're my brother, that's why!"_

His tone had been filled with what was initially anger that tried to conceal what the bond could not: concern.

" _Bumblebee, run now!"_

Sheer terror in that voice, desperation nearly choking them both as they came so close to losing each other.

" _I'm coming, I'm coming for you."_

A promise, a promise that stood firm even now.

" _I'll beat you one of these days."_

" _You can try."_

A taunt, something meant to rile Bumblebee up. He always knew how to goade his younger brother into action.

" _This war has destroyed many bonds. Why should ours be any different?"_

How had he not seen the hidden pain, the confliction then? Was his ignorance what really led Barricade down to the Decepticon path?

" _Get off you needy sparkling."_

A tease, an age old complaint that he always had.

" _Don't make me regret saving your life back then!"_

A warning, a plea for them to be together as brothers, to make good on their promise and have each others backs.

" _I denounce you."_

The final severed tie when everything unraveled for them both. Anger, hurt, those were the last things either of them felt.

"I can't do it," he whispered, horrified and sickened at his own weakness, even as the memories served to remind him of what he once had and what he was left with. He would never get it back.

"The bond between brothers is not so easily forgotten," Optimus said softly. "Where one wants to cherish what was, the other will seek to destroy every trace of a once wonderful memory. Even if it means destroying the very thing they once held dear."

Bumblebee looked up with hollowed optics. Everyone who saw him knew of his relation to Barricade. It was all they talked about when Barricade turned. But as time grew on, and Bumblebee's peers died off in battle, very few remembered who Barricade was to Bumblebee. The scout wanted to keep it that way. Where once he was proud to be Barricade's brother, now he was ashamed. He was horrified that one so destructive could have been his brother, could have been someone he had looked up to.

"For the one who wants to hold on to that memory," Optimus continued. "It would be futile to try and forget, to push aside the very qualities that make you who you are."

Bumblebee's optics narrowed. "Are you saying I should show him mercy?"

Optimus's gaze softened. "You have a very caring and giving spark, Bumblebee, but take great care to ensure that your spark continues beating in order to give to those who deserve your compassion." He sighed. "Making the decision on whether or not to risk the lives of your comrades whom have proved their loyalty and devotion for one who you still have a deep history with is one I wrestle with every day."

Bumblebee blinked, a curious thought weighing on his mind. "How do you cope with it?" he asked finally. He did not know what Optimus was going through, but he sensed a sincerity in the Prime's voice. It was almost like Optimus understood the betrayal that Bumblebee felt, the agony of a severed bond. What he had always had since birth, what he had trusted all his life, was now gone in the most painful of ways.

He could also never imagine that the Prime was reliving his own tormented memories.

 _They had been so young, so ambitious. They had been filled with hope, striving for change. They had defied the Council, fought for their people. They had each other's backs. They protected each other._

 _And they did it all as brother's._

 _They may not have been brothers by blood, but the bond was still there, the shared dreams. As was the pain, the memories, the torment._

 _"You with me, Orion?" Megatronous had asked, grinning as he held out a servo._

 _He took ahold of that servo, clasping it firmly. "To the end, brother."_

 _It had been a promise, one that he thought he could fulfill._

 _But in the end, their bond did not survive the fires of war and greed._

Optimus frowned, a thoughtful expression on his face as the memories faded. "You don't," he said finally. "You survive. In surviving, you continue to hope. The question is whether your hope is misplaced or not."

"Hope is not a feeling," Bumblebee interjected suddenly. "It is an action. In having hope, you strive for the best."

Optimus blinked before a small smile came across his face. "Well said, Bumblebee."

Both Cybertronians blinked when Optimus's comm link went off. With a sigh, Optimus answered it, his optics distant as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line. "Understood," Optimus said simply, ending the transmission. He looked at Bumblebee with a tired grin. "The deployment for Mission A1A has been moved up, and I am to oversee the preparations."

Bumblebee nodded, before blinking as a startling thought occurred to him. "Mission A1A? That's me!"

Optimus blinked, though his optics twinkled with amusement. "Really? What a coincidence." He straightened up, nodding his helm to Bumblebee. "No need to rush, but I would advise you to make preparations for departure."

Bumblebee nodded wordlessly. "Yeah, yeah." He jolted upward when Optimus walked by. "Thank you!" he called out.

Optimus stopped and turned to look at Bumblebee. "Likewise, Bumblebee."

"Who are you talking to?" Arcee asked as she approached him. Her optics widened when she caught sight of the retreating Prime. "Is that Optimus?" she breathed.

Bumblebee gave her a smirk. "Yep. He spoke to me."

Arcee raised an optic ridge. "Really? I assumed you had done nothing but lapse in awkward silence."

Bumblebee huffed. "Whatever. I am a great conversationalist." He sighed. "Speaking of which, I need to get going," he said in an apologetic tone. "My assignment has been moved upward.

Arcee nodded in understanding as he scampered away. "Alright, be safe." She frowned before calling out to catch his attention. "Bumblebee, that assignment, is it for Tyger Pax?"

He smiled, nodding to her question. "Yeah, to Tyger Pax."

* * *

Bumblebee's optics came online, his senses now alert. Pain flooded through his systems, nearly overwhelming him. How was it that pain was always the first thing he felt in this situation? Such thoughts occurred to him, but it was a small, fleeting thought that was gone like the breeze.

Bumblebee bit back a groan and pushed against the beam that had him pinned. The creak and groan of metal shifting slightly filled his audio receptors, and he huffed as he struggled to summon what strength he could to free himself.

His arms shook with the effort it took to lift the rubble. Every part of him hurt, his body screaming with pain, yet he knew the pain would be much worse if he stayed there. He needed to get out of this mess and figure out how to get back to base.

Shouts could be dimly heard, along with the sounds of many pedes approaching his area. He froze as shadows overhead flickered in his vision. The pressure of the heavy beam lifted slightly as whoever was up above struggled to heave it off of the trapped Autobot.

The relief that flooded through his systems was short lived as he took in the narrowed red optics of the Decepticons. His blasters struggled to come online and aim at the one Decepticon who held parts of the beam, but he was violently yanked upward and out of the ditch. But that did not stop Bumblebee from firing his blasters, and the pained shriek of one Decepticon told him that his shot had met its mark.

"First we rescue you, then you shoot at us?" one Decepticon snarled, pinning Bumblebee's arms to his sides.

Bumblebee cursed himself for his foolishness. He should have waited, he should have ignored the pain and listened for any nearby Decepticons. But because he reacted with his feelings, he would die.

Indeed, even as he struggled in the large Decepticon's grip, he could see the other Decepticon firing up his gun. A short, quick execution was the best he could hope for. No one would mourn for him. No one would be able to rescue him. He would be declared missing in action after a certain period of time, and by that time, his body would be nothing but rust.

But even in the face of death, he refused to tremble in the presence of the enemy.

Even now, he glared at the smirking Decepticon, blue optics facing red. At times like this, in moments of desperation, he wished he could reach across the bond and touch Barricade.

But the bond was no more. Now, it was nothing but a tattered memory.

Much like his spark would be.

"Wait!" a voice shouted.

The Decepticon with the blaster pointed at Bumblebee snarled at the interruption. Bumblebee squashed the feeling of relief, knowing it would be brief and seen as a sign of weakness.

"What?" the Decepticon snarled as the protester made himself known. Bumblebee's optics widened as a silver minicon stepped out of the shadows, his red optics focused on Bumblebee.

"Frenzy?" he choked out. He gasped for breath as the Decepticon holding him hostage tightened his hold around him.

"Where's ya daddy?" the Decepticon with the blaster demanded with a smirk as Frenzy approached them.

Frenzy nodded upwards. "Surveilling above." At that, an uncomfortable silence fell on them all. Bumblebee couldn't glance upward, wondering where Soundwave could possibly be hiding and why he would allow one of his minicon's to stand out in the open without protection.

"What have we here?" Frenzy demanded, eyeing Bumblebee with a blank expression. Bumblebee stiffened up under the scrutiny. Even when he had been a youngling in the slums, he had always been wary of Frenzy. But since Frenzy had been the very one to offer his assistance to Barricade and Bumblebee, he had stayed silent about his qualms.

Now, he wished he had spoken up. Maybe if he had, then maybe he could have saved Barricade from the Decepticons.

But he had to wonder if anything could have saved Barricade.

"Just a little cleaning up going here," the Decepticon with the blaster snarled impatiently.

Frenzy nodded before a flash of deviousness came across his face. "Interesting thing is, you were about execute Barricade's brother."

The Decepticon holding Bumblebee gave a slight jerk of surprise, and Bumblebee grunted in pain as his sides protested against the added pressure.

"This little bug is Barricade's bro?" the Decepticon demanded, shock laced in his voice. A flash of annoyance went through Bumblebee. Was it that hard to believe that Barricade was his brother?

Was. Even now, it still hurt.

"He doesn't talk much," Bumblebee's hostage stated thoughtfully.

"Because he is smart," Frenzy stated sharply. He nodded in the direction leading away from the ruins. "Let us see how much he knows. I know for a personal fact that Lord Megatron would love to have a word with him."

Dread filled Bumblebee as he realized what was happening. Even now, he wished they had shot him.

In swift movements, he launched forward, blasters coming online. The Decepticon in front of him fell back with a yelp that was quickly silenced with a blaster to the chassis. Bumblebee turned sharply at the sound of someone approaching him from behind, his arm up to block the blow aimed at his face. His blaster was raised, ready to fire into the chassis of his opponent, only for his optics to widen in shock as he took in the enemy staring him down.

Once again, he hesitated to pull the trigger.

Barricade grinned as his fist was blocked by Bumblebee. "You're fast," he stated, before latching onto Bumblebee's arm and flipping him over. "But not fast enough."

Bumblebee growled as he leaped to his pedes, swiping Barricade's pedes out from under him. Barricade recovered quickly, his grin turning into a snarl as he leaped at Bumblebee. It was all the younger Cybertronian could do to block the painful blows coming from his brother.

Pleading would be pointless.

Standing down was out of the question.

The why was it so hard for him to try and kill his brother?

Bumblebee let out a choked scream as electricity overcame him, and he fell to the ground at Barricade's pedes, his body submitting into stasis, but not his mind.

"I had him," he heard Barricade say gruffly.

"As much as I enjoy beating an Autobot to a pulp," he heard Frenzy say. "We are pressed for time, and the electric staff to the helm was the quickest way to ensure that he survive to meet Lord Megatron."

Silence descended on them all, until Barricade let out a harsh laugh. "Well, little brother," he sneered as he roughly grabbed Bumblebee by the shoulders. "Looks like you are a lucky mech."

"Cade," he rasped, optics wide. "Don't let them take me." He drew in a deep, shuddering breath. "Just kill me now."

Barricade sneered, delight shining in his deep red optics. They were the optics that Bumblebee no longer recognized. "I will," he promised lowly. "But not before you meet with Megatron first."

With that, Bumblebee's fate was sealed. And by the servos of his own brother no less.

His mind was numb with the possibilities of what could happen. What he did know for sure; he was going to die. But what he could hope for was that he would be strong enough to not give away any information that would harm the Autobots. He would not let his weakness for his brother cost his teammates.

His resolve nearly gave way at the sight of the fearsome Decepticon overlord. His imposing height and silver armor made him every bit as intimidating as the rumors and stories made him out to be. Seeing him up close and without the crowds to hide Bumblebee from view, he felt vulnerable.

The Decepticon warlord looked down at him, no hint of malice on his blank face, yet his optics promised pain.

Bumblebee refused to tremble before him.

He winced when he was grabbed roughly by the shoulders and forcefully lifted upward, his pedes leaving the ground. He frantically tried to pry Megatron's servos away from his throat, his attempts futil.

"You know what I want," Megatron growled.

Bumblebee gasped as he tried to draw in breath, but his spark beat fiercely. He would not give in. He would not.

He narrowed his optics as he stared down at Megatron. "I won't talk."

* * *

Barricade could hear everything going on between Megatron and the Autobot. His brother's tortured cries and screams reached his audio receptors, yet he did not flinch. For all the pain Bumblebee was undergoing, he did not call out for Barricade.

Not even once.

His spark churned with bitterness at the very thought. He almost snarled when he heard Bumblebee deny Megatron the information that the Decepticons needed.

"Is that...all you got?" he heard Bumblebee groan, a tired challenge in his voice.

This time, Barricade winced as Bumblebee's screams increased, the sound of Megatron's fists on the Autobots damaged armor. Barricade got up and moved away, seeking some semblance of quiet in the chaotic encampment.

"He's a tough one," Frenzy commented with a delighted smirk, watching the security feeds.

"Foolish," Barricade grunted.

"I doubt you'll get your chance with him when Megatron's through," Frenzy admitted, leaning back in his seat and kicking his pedes up comfortably.

Barricade had no comment.

"You're holding up alright," Frenzy noted.

Barricade scowled. "What's that supposed to mean? He's a filthy Autobot."

"And your brother," Frenzy commented.

"And a traitor," Barricade growled. "He chose the Prime over me, his own brother, even when he had promised to always be at my side." The bitterness grew inside of him and spread. "He chose poorly when he left."

He tried to shut out his brother's screams that had turned into hoarse cries. Yet he still did not call out for Barricade. Through the security feeds, he could see Megatron lift Bumblebee into the air, the broken scout hanging limply from Megatron's grasp. His blue optics flickered on and off with small signs of life.

"Stupid brat," Barricade hissed as the screams grated on his nerves. "Why won't he just shut up?"

Frenzy grinned. "Megatron has his methods of silencing others."

In that moment, Bumblebee's body spasmed forward, his screams curdling as he gasped for breath.

Barricade did not need the bond to know that his brother did not have long.

He was unsure how he felt about that.

" _You're my brother too!"_

They were both so close, always looking out for each other because there was no one to look out for them.

" _Cade! Don't leave me! Please! Don't leave me!"_

It had been a helpless plea of a terrified sparkling, but it had also been a desperate cry from a young Cybertronian to his older brother, an older brother whom he had trusted.

" _You do not have to be wary around me. You know that?"_

How wrong he had been. They had both been so wrong, so blind.

" _When everyone abandoned me, you stayed by my side, and I will do the same for you. I will never leave you."_

What a bitter lie. A bitter lie that they had both believed to be true, until it could not withstand the harsh flames of reality.

" _You're my brother Cade. I love you. This war can't change that."_

Love. If he had truly loved him, Bumblebee would have followed him.

With that thought in mind, he shut down the memories.

Straightening up abruptly, he turned around sharply and strode out of the rooms.

"Hey!" Frenzy exclaimed, startled as he straightened up in his seat to watch Barricade leave. "Where you going? You don't want to see what befalls your brother?"

Barricade paused for the briefest of moments, glancing over his shoulder. "I am not my brother's keeper." Then he was gone, even when his brother's screams were silenced, he did not look back.

* * *

Bumblebee was unaware of the cautious, yet frantic voices that surrounded him. He did not even blink when bright lights were shined on him. Not a sound escaped from him when he was moved from the scrap yard, his broken frame falling apart.

The voices became distant as he slipped back into the blissful arms of unconsciousness, and the painful memory of the past.

* * *

 _Bumblebee could not recall when, or how he had been injured. He had just known that it hurt, and that he had wanted the pain to stop._

 _He had not moved, refused to do so as pain would continue to travel up his leg. So instead, he had whimpered, pathetically at that. His lip had trembled as pain had coursed through his small body._

 _Then, a shadow had fallen over him as Barricade knelt down beside him. His gaze had been thoughtful as he observed the wound. No repremind came from Barricade, nor did he inquire how this had happened. Barricade would find out and pay those who had harmed his brother a visit._

 _But first, his brother needed him._

" _Hold still Bee," he had said._

 _Bumblebee had only been able to nod, squeezing his optics shut as Barricade grasped the metal lodged into his brother's leg._

" _This will hurt me more then it hurts you," Barricade said._

" _I know," Bumblebee had gasped, pain laced in his voice._

" _And a lot worse is coming to those who did this to you," he had promised._

 _Bumblebee had opened his optics to look at his brother. "Cade, don't hurt-" he gasped in pain as the metal was pulled out of his leg, a choked scream emerging from his mouth. Energon had pooled out of his wound, and Barricade was quick to stop the bleeding. Bumblebee shuddered, his body going limp. Barricade in that moment gathered Bumblebee in his arms, holding him close._

" _I've got you," Barricade had promised, rocking him back and forth as he held him close to his spark. "I've got you."_

* * *

His voice was damaged.

He would never speak again.

There was no chance of recovery.

Despite all the field medics work, the damage Megatron had inflicted on him was too severe. It was the cost Bumblebee had paid for his courage. He was reminded that he was alive, and his body would recover, and he put on a brave face for them all.

But on the inside, he was tearing up.

Arcee had come rushing into the med bay to see him, holding him close in a comforting embrace while Tailgate stood off to the side, watching them both knowingly.

She had said nothing, knowing that no words could undo the damage that had been done. Instead, her presence had been enough in that moment as he hugged her, trying to ignore the pain and emptiness that his voice once brought.

Yet he had been left alone in the med bay once more. Arcee and Tailgate had left for their own mission, the Twins were on the other side of the planet, and Ratchet was not much company.

He had never been more eager to get back on the field, despite the medics protests. He could not be alone in the med bay. Alone with his thoughts and pain; he would destroy himself.

He just never imagined that his next rescue mission would involve him seeing his brother once more. But there he stood, slipping away with the other Decepticons as the Autobots laid a siege in the base. In that moment, as if by chance, Barricade had looked up and caught Bumblebee's gaze. They stared at each other, one shocked and another filled with mixed emotions.

Cold anger filled Bumblebee as he saw his brother, the very mech who had stood by while Megatron had tortured him. Megatron may have been the one to steal his voice, but Barricade had been the one to let it happen. Barricade had left him.

This time, Bumblebee did not hesitate to shoot.

Barricade barely dodged the blaster bolt that grazed his cheek, a pained yell emerging from him. He fell back, vanishing from Bumblebee's view and range. The Autobot stepped forward, intending to finish it once and for all, to put an end to his grief.

Anything to end the memories, the pain of the past.

"Bumblebee!" Cliffjumper shouted. "We've located Arcee and Tailgate!"

Bumblebee paused and looked back just in time to see Barricade stumble through a ground bride. With great reluctance, he followed Cliffjumper. " **Right,"** he said. " **Let's go."**

* * *

" _You work as a gladiator now?" Bumblebee had demanded._

 _Barricade had scoffed, still amazed at his brother's open innocence. Despite still recovering from his wounds and the loss of their home, Bumblebee still contained his bouncing energy. It never ceased to amaze Barricade. "Don't be ridiculous. I would never endanger myself for such a useless matter." He looked away, focused in the weapon he was polishing instead of the bright optics of his brother. "No, I'm an attendant for one of the gladiators."_

" _So you're a servant," Bumblebee stated._

" _Not a servant," Barricade grumbled._

" _You are!" Bumblebee giggled. "You're a servant!" He paused in his teasing, gaze thoughtful for one so young. In fact, he had grown so quiet that Barricade grew concerned._

" _What is it?" Barricade demanded finally, sensing the thoughtfulness through the bond._

 _Bumblebee looked up at him with all the trust and openness that was only reserved for his brother. "You said that you won't endanger your life," he started slowly. "But you always try to protect me."_

 _Barricade paused, looking up briefly before going back to his work. "Of course," he said stiffly. "You're not useless."_

 _Bumblebee beamed. "So," he drawled, leaping forward and wrapping his arms around Barricade's waist. "Are you saying you'll keep me around because I'm useful and that you'll die for me?"_

" _Get off," Barricade grunted. "And I won't die. I can't."_

" _Good," Bumblebee said. "I don't want you to die." He snuggled into Barricade's side, ignoring his brother's annoyed huffs. "I think you're useful too." He smirked, poking Barricade in the sides. "You're good to have around."_

" _Needy sparkling, get off!"_

* * *

The sound of a sparklings laughter woke him up with a start, a shout almost tearing out of him as the memories were dashed to pieces. He panted as he looked around the large Decepticon aircraft that was carrying them, his racing spark finally calming down as he made sense of his situation. Frenzy shot him a look, but he ignored it as he faced the bare wall.

Bumblebee had not hesitated to shoot him. He felt a twinge of pride that the little brat had finally summoned up the courage to shoot him. But, he was an Autobot that would need to be eliminated, like the rest of them.

The memories continued to haunt him, and he feared they would continue to do do unless the very essence of those memories was destroyed.


	4. Chapter 4

An enraged scream filled the entire base, shattering the fragile peace and silence. Both Bumblebee and Miko scrambled back in fright in response to the scream as they made a break for safety. Gasping for breath, they both huddled behind the lounge area, watching the opening of the barracks with caution.

"I think we really outdid ourselves this time," Miko whispered fearfully. Bumblebee could only nod in agreement as they watched an incensed figure stumble into the room.

"You two are dead!" Arcee growled, her optics landing on Bumblebee and Miko, easily spotting them in their pitiful hiding spot.

In that moment, Jack looked up with confusion from the couch before an amused smirk came across his face. Nope, this was way more interesting then his history homework. "New look suits you, Cee," he teased, snapping his book closed.

Miko chortled, covering her mouth with her hands as she giggled. "You should keep the new paint style Arcee. You really stand out."

" **Reminds me of old times,"** Bumblebee agreed, smiling, pleased with their work. He and Miko fist bumped to signal their triumph.

Indeed, the new pink paint job they had given Arcee seemed to suit her much better. Though the femme did not seem to share their ideas. With a bright and bold pink pattern, Arcee stood out in the bland space of their base, though her optics glowed with the promise of revenge.

" **You're a really heavy sleeper Cee,"** Bumblebee continued. He paused, momentarily thinking. " **Though that tonic I slipped from Ratchet's medical supplies might have something to do with it."**

Arcee's optics widened in realization. "You spiked my drink!" Now the spark in her optics intensified to boiling rage, her body trembling with anger. Though, with the new pink paint job, she looked less threatening than before. No, wait, Bumblebee was now rethinking that statement. Arcee was never 'less threatening.' No amount of paint could cover up her terrifying fierceness.

"Run," Jack warned the two pranksters when he saw his partner's pink servos curl into fists.

"Bulkhead!" Miko screamed, scrambling for her guardian. The large green mech transformed quickly without a word and zoomed out of the base before the former blue femme could reach them. Arcee turned her murderous gaze on Bumblebee, but the yellow mech was already plucking a startled Raf from his seat and transforming. " **Gotta roll!"** he shouted as he zoomed out of the base.

"Uh, Bee," Raf said with a touch of concern as he looked out the backseat window. "She's following us."

" **Don't worry,"** Bumblebee assured him. " **I'm faster."**

"Yeah, but have you ever heard the saying 'hell hath no fury like a woman spurned'?" Raf asked. "I'm pretty sure that applies to female Cybertronians."

Bumblebee was silent for a moment as he speed on down the road. He switched his rearview mirror and noticed with fright that, yes, Arcee was gaining on him.

" **Ratchet!"** he shouted through the comm link. " **I need a bridge!"**

He could hear the medic sputtering at the rather loud and rude interruption. " _Bumblebee, a ground bridge is not to be used as your personal getaway."_

" **Please Ratchet,"** Bumblebee begged desperately. " **Arcee's brining hell literally to my doorstep! Raf said so!"**

" _I do not have time to argue the poor logic behind such a saying,"_ Ratchet huffed. " _I am dealing with a human military base that is currently in distress, and I do not need to waste my time with you. Make it up to Arcee and apologize."_

Bumblebee swerved violently when Arcee nearly rammed into him. Raf yelped at the sudden, sharp movement, and Bumblebee fastened the seatbelt firmly around his little human. No need to splatter his precious charge's insides all over Bumblebee's own insides. " **Yeah, I'm pretty sure we are way past the apologizing phase and have skipped over to the 'make your life miserable' phase."**

" _Your problem, not mine,"_ Ratchet huffed. " _I need to keep this line open for emergencies."_ The medic paused for just a brief moment. " _Primus deliver you, Bumblebee."_

" **No! Ratchet, don't go!"** Bumblebee whined. But the medic had ended the transmission.

"Um, Bee?" Raf asked with concern.

" **Don't worry Raf,"** Bumblebee assured. " **I haven't survived for all these years just to perish at the hands of my very own pink comrade."** With that, he increased his speed and swerved onto the left lane that was void of vehicles at the moment. He could see the small town of Jasper Nevada fast approaching. He inwardly smirked as he drove off road and raced in between the buildings. He could hear the screech of Arcee's tires as she tried to adjust to the fast pace, but Bumblebee continued to swerve in and out between buildings, ignoring the enraged shouts of the humans he just barely avoided running over. Yeah, Optimus won't be too pleased about this.

" **Raf, keep a lookout,"** Bumblebee said to his young human charge who was currently hiding from the windows. Raf took a small peek outside before ducking back down to avoid being seen by anyone.

"I don't see her," Raf confessed as they drove out of the town.

" **See?"** Bumblebee asked, smug. " **I told you we'd lose her."**

Raf grinned as he straightened up. Adjusting his glasses, he sat back with a sigh. "You know you will have to return to base at some point," he pointed out. "You can't avoid Arcee forever."

" **Sure I can,"** Bumblebee said. " **I'm just giving her some space to cool down...and find Miko and Bulk."** He chuckled deviously at the thought of his fellow human prankster avoiding the angry female Autobot. He could just imagine Bulkhead trying reason with the femme.

His jovial mood was cut short when he caught the sight of the telltale sign of a police car's flashing blue and red lights. With an inward groan, Bumblebee increased his speed just slightly so as to avoid the persistent cop.

"Um, Bee," Raf started with uncertainty. "There's a police car right behind us."

" **I know,"** he said, putting a bit more speed into his retreat. " **But I can't have the cops coming after me. I don't have a license."** Yes, he did have a decent enough holoform, but his holoform lacked a decent license. Plus, the lack of his voice would make things extremely complicated. Better to try and outrun the cop then answer difficult questions.

But the cop seemed determined to keep up with him. Bumblebee inwardly frowned and sped up a bit as well. His confusion grew as the cop nearly slammed into the back of his car.

" **What is his deal?"** Bumblebee demanded, enraged.

"Well," Raf said simply as he adjusted his glasses, holding onto the seats of the car as Bumblebee went faster than usual. "He is doing his job in chasing you down since you are speeding."

The cop finally pulled up right alongside Bumblebee, both cars now racing side by side. Bumblebee adjusted his rearview mirror and took in the sleek form of the cruiser. The black tinted windows prevented him from seeing anyone inside the vehicle, but he got a good look of the paint job, specifically the inscription on the car. The words flashed before him, almost in a slow manner and burning into his processor.

 _To punish and enslave._

His world in that very moment seemed to come to a slow halt. While he lost sight of those simple words, they stayed seared into his memory, flashing before him in a haunting manner. Disbelief filled him, one that shook him to the very core as he realized what this moment meant.

Bumblebee swore and spun off of the road rapidly, speeding into the dirt. He could distinctly hear Raf yelp in surprise at the sharp movement, but he was more focused on the cop who was now following him at a violent speed.

"Bee!" Raf yelped. "What are you doing-?"

" **Ratchet!"** Bumblebee yelled through the comm link. " **I need a bridge-"**

He was cut off when the cop finally slammed into him. Raf's startled gasp caused Bumblebee to try and put some distance between himself and the cop. " **Primus Ratchet, I need a bridge now!"**

" _Bumblebee,"_ Ratchet sputtered, annoyed. " _What did I tell you about-"_

" **Decepticons!"** was all Bumblebee managed to shout out as he swerved violently. In that moment as he lost control of his drive, the cruiser fell apart as pieces folded within themselves. A towering, dark mech took form, his red optics gleaming. A roar escaped his mouth as he charged at Bumblebee.

"Oh scrap," Raf squeaked as Bumblebee began to drive backward to avoid the clawed servos of the former cop car. However, a quick adjustment to his mirrors showed that he would not have much room to use. Not too far away was a cliff. Sooner or later, he would run out of racing space.

" _Decepticons?"_ Ratchet demanded, now concerned. His tone became clipped as he snapped into business. " _Who?"_

But Bumblebee never got the chance to reply. In one swift moment, Bumblebee's car door was open and shoving Raf out into the dusty road. Transforming faster then he ever had before, Bumblebee collided into the Decepticon. Their bodies clashed, though Bumblebee was ready for the impact. He allowed the momentum to carry him downward as he tucked himself into a roll.

Twisting to the right and leaping to his pedes, Bumblebee swiped at the Decepticon's pedes, tripping him and causing the mech to land face first into the rough dirt. The mech was up at the same time Bumblebee was. Bumblebee ducked quickly and barely avoided the fist flying in his direction. He sidestepped to the right and ducked low, aiming for the Decepticon's mid section, a vulnerable spot that he was aware of.

His attacks were blocked, but just as quickly as his movements were counterattacked, he would strike out in a different direction. But this Decepticon was bigger then him and finally managed to fling him away. Bumblebee tucked into a roll, bringing himself right to a stop just a few feet away from a wide eyed Raf.

"Bumblebee," Raf started, a gasp escaping his mouth as he arose from his crouch, though he did not break out into a run. He knew that running in an open area with no cover around him would be dangerous and leave him vulnerable to the Decepticon's blaster fire. Raf's body was rigged and cautious as he took in the large, menacing Decepticon that was approaching them.

Bumblebees battle mask slid over his face as his optics narrowed. That particular armor was something he had rarely used, but today was the day that he knew he would need all the protection he needed. He arose swiftly, his servos curled into fists, ready to fight. He faced off his adversary, finally taking in the full view of the enemy.

His brother.

Barricade had not changed. His alt mode was adapted to that of a cops car, his form bulkier and darker. Though everything else Bumblebee recognized, everything that was his brother's own personal traits. His optics were still bright with hate, his mouth curled into a savage smirk as he regarded Bumblebee.

" _Little bug,"_ Barricade snarled, his voice rough in Cybertronian. " _How convenient that I would find scum like you on this dust ball."_

" _ **How convenient that you were just taking a bite out of the dust ball,"**_ Bumblebee responded back, his native tongue coming back to him with ease.

Barricade chuckled, though there was no humor in his voice. His optics landed on Raf, and a savage understanding came into his optics. " _I took more than a bite. I blew a huge chunk off. An entire base, if you get my gist."_

Bumblebee went still at the message that was conveyed. A base...just like the last time hundreds of years ago when Barricade had betrayed them. Ratchet's earlier words came back to him, about the human base that had been in distress.

It was in distress no more, but now in the arms of death if Barricade had just visited the humans. His disgust and horror for Barricade only grew.

" _After I am finished with you, I will take good care of your pet, little brother."_ The last part was spat out, like a bitter taste that he could not wait to be rid of.

Bumblebee's optics narrowed, and he positioned himself to where he was standing directly over Raf protectively, shielding him from the Decepticon's view. Barricade took immediate note of the movement.

" _Hm,"_ Barricade mused. " _Not willing to share, brother?"_

Bumblebee's only response was to adjust his fighting stance into the offensive.

His job was to protect Raf, and he would do that no matter what. With narrowed optics, he charged at Barricade, shoving into him. Barricade staggered back as they both fell downwards, falling off of the cliff and into the cannon below.

The impact was worse than Bumblebee had anticipated. He was sure his entire insides were jammed up in all the wrong places. But he did not have time to absorb and adjust to the pain. He rolled down and off of the sharp rocks, scrambling frantically to protect himself. Barricade was faster and was upon him with a thunderous roar.

Bumblebee barely avoided the sword that was aimed at his spark. He grappled frantically with his brother. This time, he was on the defense. He was fighting to survive. No mercy would be shown to him. He had made peace with that grim knowledge. Even now, the words of wisdom that Optimus Prime had shared with him eons ago still rang true in his audio receptors.

" _Take great care to ensure that your spark continues beating in order to give to those who deserve your compassion."_

And he would. He had no intention of dying today, and least of all, by his own brother's hand.

Barricade snarled as Bumblebee pushed on, managing to slip through his sharp grasps.

He turned sharply, twisting around.

He was inches away from his opponent, close enough to identify the new scars on his face.

He rushed forward, servo curled into a fist.

He launched upward, slamming his fist into Barricade's face.

Barricade snarled as he fell back, clutching at his face as energon dripped down it. Wide red optics met narrowed blue as they both faced off.

A harsh laugh escaped Barricade, though it was muffled from where his servo was covering his injured face. " _You never hold back, do you?"_ he sneered.

Bumblebee held his position, not answering him.

" _Well,"_ Barricade said, spitting out a bit of energon. " _I have no intention of holding back either."_

Bumblebee's blasters were out in an instant to stall the attack he knew that was coming. He fired at his elusive brother who took shelter behind a large outcropping of rocks. Bumblebee did not hesitate to shoot at the loose cannon rocks around him, scattering dirt and debris, creating a cloud of thick dirt that left him shielded from Barricade. Though he was briefly robbed of his sight, his other senses still worked, including his hearing.

Which meant that he could hear the taunts of his brother echo through the cannon.

" _Tell me, Bumblebee,"_ he heard Barricade shout, and Bumblebee whirled in the direction of the voice. " _Do you still love me?"_

Bumblebee hesitated only briefly, but sharp movement above caused him to curse his hesitation as he caught sight of the bomb sailing through the air. He scrambled away, right as the bomb exploded and shattered everything around him. Bumblebee yelped as he was flung forward, his back exploding in pain from the touch of the heat.

He hit the ground, the sharp rocks piercing into his unprotected body. He struggled to stand, looking around wildly to make sense of it all.

" _Or perhaps you hate me,"_ he heard Barricade say. Bumblebee did not hesitate to shoot in the direction of Barricade's voice. Aside from the sound of many rocks falling, the air was silent, and Bumblebee's wariness grew.

It was then, in that moment of vulnerability, that he felt another presence draw up behind him. Strong arms encircled him, pinning his arms to his sides. Bumblebee lurched forward, struggling as his brother held him captive in a dangerous embrace.

" _Because I hate you,"_ Barricade hissed in his audio receptor.

Bumblebee threw his helm back, smashing into Barricade's already damaged face. He then lurched forward, flipping Barricade over and onto the ground. Barricade's sword was drawn, poised and ready.

" _I hate you, and this wretched planet!"_ Barricade screamed, his words more pronounced with each jab he delivered. " _I hate these humans who you are so devoted to! Do you know how weak they are? How easy it is to destroy them? Even the self proclaimed soldiers I killed were just as fragile as the rest of them!"_

Bumblebee stumbled back and blocked the sword in one quick movement, yet his arm was sliced with barely a touch of the sword, yet it was still sharp enough to draw energon. He hissed in pain, but he did not cry out.

" _Nothing to say about that?"_ Barricade sneered. " _No tuants? No pleas for my salvation? No promises of revenge for those humans I mercilessly killed?"_

Bumblebee kicked at Barricade's chest. This fight was over. He wanted it to end.

" _Say something!"_ Barricade screamed, lunging forward with his sword, rage sparking in his optics.

"Get away from him!" another voice screamed, and a pink blur raced by, slamming into Barricade. Bumblebee blinked as he took in Arcee's small form fighting relentlessly against the bigger Decepticon. In that moment, a ground bridge opened up right next to him, startling the scout momentarily.

Arcee looked up. "Bee! It's ours! Let's go!"

Barricade let out a howl of frustration as another ground bridge opened up; his own. In that moment, his optics connected with Bumblebee's. Neither broke the intense stare, memories both old and new resurfacing. Their connection was only broken off by the ground bridge that swallowed Barricade, taking him away from Bumblebee once more.

Arcee tugged on Bumblebee's arm, trying to earn his attention. "Bee," he heard her say. "Let's go."

He nodded mutely, still staring at the space his brother had once stood before. The bitter words still echoed in his mind, just as harmful as any weapon. Despite what Barricade said, despite knowing that Barricade hated him with a passion and knowing about it for years, it still hurt. Worse yet, he did not know what he had done to deserve such hate.

 _You rejected him._

Yes, he supposed he had. He had rejected Barricade all those years ago, choosing to do what was right instead of following his spark and stay at his brother's side. Yet, his choice had brought him nothing but death, and the hate of his brother.

But despite that hate, Bumblebee did confess, that he did love his brother. It was a hopeless feeling, but it would not go away. He still loved Barricade, that would never change.

He just could not save him.

* * *

The news was grave. It was worse than he had thought.

Bumblebee remained silent throughout the briefing, his arms folded across his chassis. The children were present as well to witness the news that Optimus Prime had to share about the latest, most gruesome attack on a human base. However, the details were trimmed down to spare the children from the true horror of the crime. Their eyes were wide as they listened in on the brief description about the new Decepticon arrival, the attacker on the human base.

Bumblebee's brother.

That last bit of information was not mentioned by Optimus or Arcee at all, and he was grateful for that.

"Bumblebee attacked him," Raf said proudly, looking at his guardian with a wide smile. "He faced him off bravely and defended me."

Miko fist bumped in the air. "Oh yeah! That's our bots for you!"

Bumblebee was grateful for his mouth guard that hid his mouth, therefore concealing his expression. Though he gave a light hearted shrug, his spark was anything but light.

"Bumblebee could take him on again!" he heard Raf say.

Take him on again.

* * *

" _You can take him on again!" Bumblebee chirped, scrambling down from the stands and scampering over to a stalking Barricade._

 _Barricade huffed, tossing the shattered ax away with barely a backward glance. "Yeah, whatever," he growled._

 _Bumblebee skipped at his side, but then stopped, as if remembering where he was, and instead tried to match his brother's fast pace. "I mean, you're big and bold, you can beat him next time!"_

" _There will be no next time," Barricade said, finally stopping for a moment in an alleyway to check his weapons, the ones he always wore at his side. Never again would he rely on the weapons given to him by just anyone. Like that ax, they would shatter._

 _Bumblebee blinked his large blue optics. "What? Of course there will be!" In all his time, he never knew Barricade to just simply let things go. He always had to have the upper hand. Even in their tussles, Barricade always came out on top with Bumblebee at the bottom._

 _But Barricade always dragged Bumblebee back up._

 _Barricade shook his helm. "Not this time," he said, his optics focused on his gun. "That fight was rigged."_

 _Bumblebee blinked once more, startled. "Rigged?" he echoed. He gasped. "You mean," here, he tugged on Barricade's arm. "You lost on purpose?" He had watched the fight, as he had watched all of Barricade's fights. He cheered for his brother, knowing that for him to lose most likely meant death. Winning meant everything to them, as it meant that they could eat, they could survive until the next fight._

 _Bumblebee had never been allowed into the fighting ring, but he had been involved in many fights. Barricade had understood that he could not always protect Bumblebee, and the yellow youngling had to learn how to fight without weapons. He had to learn to think on his pedes in a tough situation. He had to learn how to take on multiple opponents, sometimes without a dagger or a blaster at his side. Most often, Bumblebee would find himself alone in the dark with menacing Cybertronians half his side. It was at times like this that Barricade would withdraw from the situation, forcing Bumblebee to defend himself._

 _The fact that he was alive meant he had to leave bodies behind._

 _Barricade pulled his arm out of Bumblebee's hold. "No, I was supposed to lose." His optics narrowed. "The winner of the match was decided long before I stepped into the ring."_

 _Now Bumblebee was blinking rather rapidly, his confusion swirling. "You're just going to let this go? You won't get your revenge!"_

 _Barricade withdrew a dagger, testing its sharp tip. "No, I will not." He passed the dagger over to Bumblebee. "You will."_

* * *

"Right Bee?" a voice asked.

Bumblebee blinked, noticing where he was. He was not on Cybertron anymore. He was not in the slums of Kaon, nor holding a small, study dagger. Instead, he was back at the base surrounded by his fellow Autobots and human companions.

He gave Raf an apologetic look. " **What?"** he asked.

Raf smiled. "You'll take him on again when given the chance, right?"

Right. He'll have to fight his brother. He will have to face him once more. His spark filled with a heavy dread at the thought. " **Yeah, right,"** he said in response to Raf's optimistic question. He ignored Optimus's knowing look and Arcee's worried gaze.

" _Do you still love me?"_

His optic flickered at the very memory as his brother's words came back to haunt him. Yes, he did. He still loved Barricade. But how could he love someone when he was preparing to kill that very same person?

* * *

He had not said a word. Not a sound had been uttered by Bumblebee. Yet Barricade had been able to read everything in those optics. The hurt, the rage, the determination.

His face still hurt from the blows he had received from his brother, but he welcomed the pain. It meant that he was alive.

Bumblebee might not have been if that pink femme hadn't shown up when she did. Huh, he could have sworn that she had been blue before. Seeing her in such a familiar form with his brother brought back memories that he did not care to dwell on.

The Decepticon warship was a welcome distraction. Missions were performed, sometimes with success, sometimes with failure. Yet for all the times he was sent out, he had yet to come across Bumblebee.

It irked him to no end. He wanted to see that yellow scout. He wanted to be the one to drive his sword through Bumblebee spark. He wanted to crush him underneath his pede, much like he had with those humans at that human base.

Somewhere, in the back of his processor, he would ask himself when he had started to hate his own brother so much. How had he come to hate Bumblebee with such a passion? What had happened?

It was these thoughts that he would not dwell on for too long.

Bumblebee was growing fierce, that much he would acknowledge. It was nice to see the softness beaten out of him to display the hardened warrior. The sparkling he had grown up with, the youngling he had pushed into the fights, that Cybertronian was gone. In its place was a Autobot warrior, and Barricade would be the one to end his life.

A small part of him had always wondered what had befallen his brother. Was he alive? Was he dead? And if so, then who had been the one to kill the yellow mech and deny Barricade the place of killing Bumblebee?

It was not that he obsessed over killing Bumblebee. He would just rather know for sure what had ended him. It was his final way of seeing his younger sibling slip out of this world and into the Well. He would not deny himself of that. He had been with Bumblebee since birth, he had been the one to save him so many countless times. It was only fitting that he would be the one to end him.

He loathed everything Bumblebee stood for.

But did he really hate Bumblebee?

* * *

 _He observed the small ring below him, his expression stoic. His optics trailed after the body that was being dragged out of the area, the roars of the crowd dying down somewhat. It was not much of a crowd to begin with. It was more like a cluster of Cybertronians that were gathered together at the last minute to witness some entertainment._

 _But the credits were flowing as bets were placed._

 _Barricade leaned back slightly, his gaze taking in the competition that had just entered the ring._

" _Heard that one hasn't been beaten yet," one large mech beside Barricade said. "Ain't no Cybertronian who's ever come close to defeating him!"_

I did, _Barricade thought silently. He would have come close to defeating the contender. But he hadn't. He had been set up, and because he had been too weak to realize it, he and his brother had gone hungry for the last three days._

 _He was lucky that Frenzy was in contact with Megatron, or Bumblebee would not have survived without the small energon cubes._

" _Who's the little wimp that's going to get mopped today?" the silver mech demanded with a loud chuckle._

 _Barricade nodded to the lone youngling just entering the ring. "That one."_

 _Bumblebee was easy to pick out as he stood with his back straight, his dim, yellow armor a fading bright spot in the grim area._

 _The mech beside Barricade sputtered. "That one? He's no more then a bug! He'll be squashed!"_

" _A bug with a bite," Barricade answered simply._

 _Apparently, many had already decided Bumblebee's fate as credits went flying. Barricade watched with mild interest before looking back at Bumblebee. His brother did not look at him, but merely kept his gaze on his opponent._

 _Barricade barely noticed when the signal to start was given. But he did watch how his brother crouched down to avoid his opponents fists._

 _The crowd was watching with anticipation, their hoots and hollers filling the small space. The scuffle between the two fighters was lost as the noise of the crowd grew._

 _Barricade watched as the dagger in Bumblebee's possion flashed out, twirling until Bumblebee got a firm grasp on the weapon. The dagger was a different weapon, not one that was supplied for the fight. Instead, Barricade had supplied Bumblebee with a weapon that they both could be assured had not been tampered with._

 _This time, it would not falter._

 _Bumblebee's small form rushed at the larger beast of a mech. In that moment, Barricade saw the cold flash of determination in Bumblebee's optics._

 _He also saw the sword carving towards his sibling._

 _The choked warning gathering within him died in his mouth when Bumblebee attempted to avoid it, but he was not fast enough. The sword skimmed his shoulder, earning a choked cry coming from Bumblebee. The crowd roared, but Bumblebee reacted instantly as energon leaked from his shoulders._

 _Bumblebee turned sharply, twisting around._

 _He was inches away from his opponent, and Barricade could tell that Bumblebee saw everything in his opponents face._

 _He rushed forward, servo curled into a fist._

 _He launched upward, slamming his fist into his enemies face._

 _Barricade could not help but smirk as Bumblebee used the move he had taught him, the same move he had grilled into him._

 _The mech stumbled back, clenching his bleeding face. But Bumblebee did not give him time to recover as he plunged the dagger into the mech's shoulder. He pressed on, forcing the mech to stumble down to the ground with Bumblebee up on top._

 _There was silence until the ringmaster announced the victor, giving the title to Bumblebee._

 _Barricade remembered how the silence had rung in the area. He also remembered the feeling of satisfaction as all the bets were given to him. Yes, Bumblebee had done well._

" _You should have killed him," Barricade had said when Bumblebee approached him._

 _He had not seen the look of despair on his brother's face. "I couldn't."_

 _He shrugged. "Whatever. That's got to change." Pocketing the remaining credits: he knew it would serve them for weeks, he looked at Bumblebee with a nod. "Let's go and get you patched up."_

* * *

No, he did not hate his brother. At least, not as much as he should. It still hurt him, like a dull, aching pain, when Bumblebee had refused to join him. They had chosen different sides, and he could respect that.

But he did have to end him.

* * *

The abandoned town was much like the one Bulkhead had been in when MECH and taken Breakdown. Not a soul lived in the area as rusted buildings stretched upward to the sky. Yet, unknowest to those who loved two thousand miles aways, beings they would only know as 'metal titans' were waging a war. The already damaged town was turning into a wreck as the two leaders of opposing sides fought, their comrades also fighting for victory.

The shattered glass fell on top of Bumblebee as the windows of the building above him exploded. He was separated from everyone else, but he had faith in their abilities. Bumblebee raised his one arm to protect his face as he ran from his crouched position. In that moment, he was out in the open and vulnerable to enemy fire. Even now, several Vehicons tried to shoot at him, but their aims had yet to improve.

Bumblebee's shots, however, remained straight and true.

Unfortunately, so did Barricade's.

Bumblebee let out a pained shout as a blaster bolt tore through his armor and pierced his shoulder. He clutched his injured wound, looking up just in time as Barricade charged at him. Bumblebee did the only thing he could do in that moment.

He collapsed.

Barricade stumbled, obviously not expecting such a weak move from his brother. To be honest, Bumblebee was surprised at his own display of weakness, but it worked as his brother's sword just flashed over his helm. The silver glint of the weapon caught Bumblebee's optics, and he leaped upward, blaster out and pointed at Barricade's unprotected back.

 _"Cade-"_

 _"Don't call me that."_

 _"...I love you."_

 _"I love you too. Now go to sleep, and stop fiddling with that gun. You're going to shoot me with how you're handling it."_

He faltered in that moment, even as the memory faded, but Barricade did not.

The impact of the ground hurt as much as Barricade's fists that were slamming into him. Bumblebee tried in vain to block the blows coming toward him. But Barricade held firm, his fists landing harder on Bumblebee with every strike.

Bumblebee suddenly gasped in agony as his chassis exploded in waves of pain.

 _"Because you're my brother, that's why!"_

 _"And you're my brother too!"_

A choked sob escaped him, both filled with pain from the beatings and pain from the memories. He could feel his chassis, his very spark, recoil as the severed bond frayed once more. He did not know that the bond would still be active. He did not know that it would hurt him this much.

After all these years, he was still in pain.

 _"I'm coming, I'm coming for you."_

 _"I know. You'll never leave me."_

"Shut up!" Barricade screamed as his fist slammed once more into Bumblebee's face, his optics alight with rage.

Apparently, Barricade was suffering from the same painful ghosts of the past. He raised his fists once more, desperate to sever the connection once more.

Bumblebee raised his servos, grasping Barricade's fists and stopping them just inches from his face. He drew his knees upward, kicking Barricade hard and forcing the Decepticon off of him. He rolled over and scrambled to his pedes, grabbing onto a toppled slab of concrete. He armed himself with a toppled light pole and launched it like a lance at Barricade. Barricade in turn used a rusted car as a shield, the light pole piercing through it, but otherwise unharming him

Creative. That was all Bumblebee would give him.

Barricade ran forward with a scream, his face contorted with such hate and anger, that he was almost unrecognizable. He ceased shooting at Bumblebee and instead chose to slash at him with the damaged sword. Bumblebee spun out of the way, a small dagger in hand as he plunged the weapon into Barricade's shoulder. Barricade did not seem fazed by it at all, his sword connecting with Bumblebee's leg. His face twisted once more with such pleasure as Bumblebee crumbled beneath the pain.

His brother took pleasure in his pain. Bumblebee's optics narrowed at the thought.

Then his brother was already lost to him if he took great delight in torturing his own kin.

 **"I never wanted things to be this way!"** Bumblebee shouted, energon dripping down his face from his wounds.

"You made your choice," Barricade snarled, rushing toward him.

 _"Cade! Don't leave me! Please! Don't leave me!"_

He hadn't. Even when he was on the other side of the war, Barricade had never truly left Bumblebee. They had both tormented each other with lost memories. Both had been haunted with what was lost. Even the severed bond could not close off everything.

Bumblebee lurched forward, his fist connecting with Barricade's face. Barricade snarled as they both collided, each grappling for the upper hand.

 **"I-I don't want to kill you,"** Bumblebee choked out. He grunted when he was shoved to the ground once more, pinned beneath his brother.

Surprisingly, there was no mad delight in Barricade's gaze. His expression was almost unreadable as he finally wrenched his servo free from Bumblebee's desperate grasp.

"Me neither," he admitted, his voice a low growl. He leveled his gun at Bumblebee. "But I will."

Bumblebee gripped the gun and pointed it away from his helm, right as the blaster went off.

 _"I am your brother. We are in this together."_

Barricade withdrew another blaster, shooting at Bumblebee despite the fact that the yellow Autobot still maintained a firm hold on his servo and prevented the blaster shots from hitting his helm. The ground became scorched from the blaster shots as Barricade's relentless assaults continued. "Die," he snarled, his servos covered with energon; Bumblebee's energon. "Die!" he screamed.

 _"You come here to scold me?"_

 _"Still the job of the oldest."_

Barricade's face contorted in pain, even as Bumblebee grunted from the strain and the searing heat growing closer towards his helm.

 _"You said you were with me. Are you really?"_

 _"Always. But at times, you truly scare me."_

"Get out of my head," Barricade snarled. He let out a scream of frustration. "Why won't you die? Why can't you just die? Die!" He finally leveled his blaster one final time at Bumblebee, red optics aglow with an unknown emotion. "Die," he choked out.

Bumblebee brought himself up closer to the weapon, pulling his brother closer to him as well. In one, final, desperate act, he let go of his brother's arm and plunged his servo into Barricade's chassis and directly over his beating spark, his gun activating. He could still feel the familiar warmth it brought, and at once, he felt like a sparkling again that was seeking for his brother in the dark world.

" _I love you."_

 **"I love you,"** Bumblebee whispered.

Then Barricade's spark shattered.

* * *

Silence reigned in the base. Raf leaned forward, listening intently for anything that would cue him in on the battle that was going on. Jack and Miko were beside him, both equally nervous for their guardians.

Finally, Bulkhead's tired voice came over the intercom. _"Bee did it. He killed him."_

Raf swallowed, a feeling of relief coming over him. Bumblebee was alive, and the Deception was dead. But something in Bulkhead's reserved voice made him withhold his cheers.

Ratchet sighed, unfolding his arms as he strode towards the ground bridge. His optics were heavy with a grim shadow, and Raf could not figure out what was the cause of it. "Then let's bring him home."

* * *

They found Bumblebee cradling Barricade's lifeless body. Though no one would say it, they had witnessed the final, death blow that had befallen Barricade. Arcee was the only one to move forward as she placed a gentle servo on Bumblebee's shaking shoulders. The yellow scout said nothing else to them as he rocked back and forth, his helm touching Barricade's forehead, his optics closed. His spark still reached out to Barricade's even as his brother's own lifeforce was shattered into untraceable pieces.

 **"I won't leave you,"** he whispered, clinging to Barricade. **"I'm here now. I promise."** He sobbed. **"I promise."**


	5. Chapter 5

Bumblebee drove down the dusty land before pulling to the side and driving off road. More dust and dirt assaulted him, but at the moment, he did not care. His paint job was the least of his concerns. Instead, he had bigger problems to deal with.

Cybertron was restored. Now that was not a problem. His voice was restored as well. That was a blessing, if anything. But the real problem was the fact that Optimus Prime was no more. He had offered himself as a willing sacrifice to further heal Cybertron so that their planet could contain new life.

There was work to be done to ensure that Optimus's sacrifice wasn't in vain. He had trusted Team Prime to keep the peace, to maintain their world, and they were more than willing to keep their Prime's last wish.

In this moment, Bumblebee needed to run one last errand on Earth.

He pulled to a stop over a secluded grave marker. Transforming, he looked down on the sight, his expression solomon. Beside him, Arcee drove up and transformed, though she stayed a good distance away, giving him this moment.

"Thank you for being with me," he said finally.

Arcee strode up to him, taking his words as a positive sign. "Of course," she answered. She glanced at him knowingly. "Take all the time you need."

Bumblebee nodded, drawing in a deep breath before kneeling down and beginning to dig. The dirt moved and shifted as he broke the surface of the earth. He and Arcee continued this task until Barricade's corpse was uncovered.

Bumblebee's breath lodged in his throat at the sight of his brother's dead body. He dared not look at Arcee and see her expression. To her, Barricade was a traitor, a Decepticon. But she had still chosen to accompany him here.

"Let's get moving," he said finally, standing up abruptly. He could not tear his gaze away from his brother, but he could hear Arcee requesting a space bridge. A stretcher was moved in, Barricade's body was placed there, and Bumblebee did not leave his brother's side.

He was not prepared for the emotional toll it would take him when he arrived on Cybertron.

Barricade would be going home in a casket. He died believing that there was no hope for their home, no hope for their kind.

"I wish I could change that," Bumblebee whispered to himself. Arcee cast him a glance, but she said nothing.

A secluded spot was picked away from the city. The area was open to the vast landscape with no end in sight. It was the perfect spot. Too perfect for a traitor.

But perfect for his brother.

Bumblebee watched as his brother was buried, the ground of Cybertron engulfing Barricade's remains. His servos shook as emotions crashed down on him. A smaller, familiar servo slipped into his, and he looked up to see Arcee offering him encouragement. She smiled up at him, but he could not bring himself to smile back.

Arcee stepped forward and wrapped him in a comforting embrace. He stiffened up for a moment before resting his helm on her shoulder. He breathed in deeply as she rubbed his back, granting him the comfort that he needed.

Before long, Arcee pulled back, but her arms still stayed wrapped around him. She leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on his mouth. He blinked in surprise when she pulled back, and she simply smiled at him.

"Come on Bee," she said. "We have work to do."

And by work, she meant brutal work.

Preparations were needed to be made for the good of Cybertron, and Team Prime never got a moments peace. By the end of the day, Bumblebee would be worn through, too tired to even think about the next day. He couldn't understand politics, and he had to agree with Wheeljack and Bulkhead; he preferred the quick action of a blaster to the long meetings. At least a blaster would kill him faster than the long monologues.

Then the decision for leadership had been presented.

He had not been paying attention to what was being said, but he was alerted when his name was used.

"He could be a potential Prime," one mech said.

Bumblebee blinked. "What?" he stated, staring at the tall, red mech. Bumblebee did not know him well, but something about this mech set him off, and he had always trusted his gut instinct.

"After all," the mech continued, addressing Bumblebee. "You fought at Optimus Prime's side, and you were the one to kill Megatron, which allowed the Autobots to gain their victory over Cybertron."

Bumblebee folded his arms. He was aware that such a move looked defensive to others, but he felt comfortable this way. "With all due respect, we won Cybertron by confiscating the Nemesis from the Decepticons. The war did not simply end with Megatron's death. Many others fought by Optimus Prime's side for far longer years than I." Here, his optics flickered over to Ultra Magnus, who was watching him.

Bumblebee received an encouraging nod from Ultra Magnus, and the scout's resolve was strengthened. "Furthermore," he continued. "One cannot simply be named a Prime, but must be granted the Matrix of Leadership." He resisted glancing at Smokescreen. He knew that Smokescreen had been offered the Matrix of Leadership, and if that had been the will of Primus, then Bumblebee would not step in his way.

A small feeling of pain stung Bumblebee's spark as he said his next words. "As we all know, the Matrix of Leadership was lost with Optimus Prime when he gave his life for Cybertron. The age of the Primes is over, and there is no reason to present the title of Prime to anyone who was not chosen by Primus."

The mech who had proposed the idea narrowed his optics. "You would reject the opportunity to do some good for your planet?"

 _"You really think you can do good for our planet?"_

 _Bumblebee had nodded. "Yeah! I can do good!" He frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"_

 _"Because you are so naive," Barricade had scoffed. "How else would you make Cybertron better?"_

 _Bumblebee had frowned thoughtfully before he brightened up with a wide and hopeful smile. "I could be a Prime!"_

 _Barricade's optics had bulged before he began laughing. "That's a hoot!" he hollered. "My little brother as a useless, pompous Prime!" He chortled before looking at Bumblebee's scowling face. "Listen Bee, a Prime's just the Council's puppet. You won't be doing anything for Cybertron but look pretty. You can do more good on the field then in the Council's grasp. Trust me."_

How ironic that Bumblebee found himself in that same situation, with that very memory flashing through his mind.

A faint smile tugged at his mouth as he regarded the mech who had proposed the idea in the first place. "I can do plenty of good as a soldier," Bumblebee stated.

"But you, we, are not at war," the mech protested.

"No," he agreed. "But we do need protectors. "I feel that I can do more good that way, on the field, then stuck in an office." He nodded to Ultra Magnus. "That's more his field of expertise."

This earned a snort from Wheeljack. Bumblebee smiled, sitting back and allowing Ultra Magnus to handle everything else from there. If only Barricade knew what was being discussed, and that his brother had indeed almost come close to being a Prime. He would be rolling in his grave at this point.

* * *

 _He hesitated. He hesitated to shoot me. In the end, did he really want to kill me?_

Those words, those haunting words, served to follow Bumblebee throughout his life. They would come to visit him in the dark of the night. They would attack him at his most vulnerable moments. No matter what, Bumblebee would find himself re-playing the scene in his head, reliving every agonizing moment of the battle between him and Barricade.

He had torn his brother's spark apart. He had done the unforgivable act. He had shattered Barricade's very life force.

It was war. Death was the cycle of life. But was it the cycle of life for a brother to turn against brother? Even in times of war?

Barricade's blaster had been pointed at Bumblebee's helm, but it had never been activated. But, given the chance, would he have shot at Bumblebee? Would Bumblebee be the one dead and one with the Allspark if he had hesitated to end Barricade's life?

He would never know, and he was alive because of his quick reflexes. After all, Barricade had been the one to teach him how to hone his ruthless attacks.

" _You sting them like a sharp blade. You slip in and out, leaving damage in your wake before they even know you're there."_

His brother's advice still served him today, even as Cybertron was being rebuilt.

It was because Bumblebee had delivered that one, final death shot to his brother that he was still alive and able to witness the rebirth of his world. How tragic that Barricade could not witness the new life teaming on their home, a home they once thought was dead

Even now as he gazed over the new land that was teeming with life, he could not help but reflect on the past, even as the future was presented before him.

* * *

" _C'mon Cade!" Bumblebee urged, dragging him up towards the roof. "We'll miss it because you're so slow!"_

" _I'm tired," Barricade grumbled, hualing himself up after his younger brother. He stopped at the edge of the roof, tiredly looking down to the dark streets below. "Why'd you have to get me up so early?"_

" _Because I want to see the sun!" Bumblebee beamed happily, scrambling upwards as he poked his small helm over the hump of the roof. His optics sparkled with pure delight as he waited in anticipation._

 _It took a moment for Barricade to process what he had been told. It took him even longer in his sleep deprived state to come up with a response._

" _You little brat!" he hissed, storming towards his oblivious brother. "You woke me up at the crack of dawn and disturbed the first good nights sleep I've had in ages just to see a stupid sunrise?"_

" _It's not stupid," Bumblebee defended hotly. "The slums make it too difficult to see the sunrise, but now's my chance to see the colors!" He looked at Barricade with the innocence only a youngling could possess. "Don't you want to see it too?"_

 _Barricade growled in annoyance, but he did at least glance at the dark skies that were slowly turning a lighter color. Bumblebee stood as tall as he could to get a better view, his optics still wide with eager anticipation._

 _Barricade grunted, striding over and grabbing Bumblebee. His brother squeaked in surprise at the rough movement, struggling instantly. Barricade ignored Bumblebee's squirming and slung his younger brother over his shoulder before making his way off of the roof. "C'mon," he grunted. "I know a place with a better view."_

 _Bumblebee ceased his struggling and went limp for a brief moment. "You do?"_

" _You ruined my sleep for a sunrise," Barricade said as he sprinted down the dark streets. "I might as well give you the perfect view of the sky and make it worth it."_

 _As it turned out, the perfect view had been from a tall abandoned building. The rooftops were still sturdy, but there was nothing blocking Bumblebee from seeing the magnificent colores as the sun painted the sky. Colores bled together in many hues, and Bumblebee's bright smile did not fade for a moment as he drank it all in._

" _It's beautiful, isn't Cade!" Bumblebee exclaimed, bouncing in his step. "Cade?" he asked when there was no response. Turning, he saw his older brother slumped against the wall, soft snores emerging from his mouth._

 _Bumblebee approached him hesitantly, poking Barricade. "Cade?" he asked. When a soft grunt was his only reply, he simply shrugged and positioned himself right next to Barricade. Snuggling up into his side, Bumblebee rested his helm on Barricade's shoulder and closed his optics as he fell asleep right next to his older brother._

* * *

His brother was labeled as a murderer. A villian. A Decepticon.

It should not surprise him. After all, Barricade was one of the most dangerous Decepticons in the history of the war. Everyone knew who he was. Everyone had heard the tales of Barricade's destructive acts as he helped move the Decepticons forward. In all likelihood, Barricade would go down in history for many other younglings to learn about and despise.

While Bumblebee would be remembered as the mech who killed Megatron, Barricade would be remembered as the mech who followed the Decepticon warlord to the bitter, brutal end.

He died as a Decepticon, and Bumblebee still wasn't sure if he died as Bumblebee's brother.

But Bumblebee would go on living as Barricade's brother. That small part, that small thread, was still connected to him in some way. He could not get rid of it anymore then he could get rid of his own spark.

He did not despise Barricade. But he did not love him. Not anymore. Yes, his last words had been a completely different response.

Was it even a reflection of his own inner feelings?

"I can't hate him," he had told Arcee once. Even with his voice back, it was still hard to express his feelings with words.

She had looked at him with understanding. "Because you knew him."

He had nodded.

"But," she had said. "You also knew what he was capable of. It is because of that knowledge that you had delivered the final blow."

Even as the truth was presented to him, it still shocked him to an extent at how he felt at the mere thought of his brother. Or, the lack of feelings.

He could still look back on his memories, but it was a bitterness that overwhelmed the pleasant feelings. Their past, their feelings, what they had as brothers, was forever tainted.

" _I love you."_

Why did he say those words? Even after years had passed and countless battles had been won, he still dwelled on that one question.

"I am uncertain how I even feel towards him anymore," he had confessed one day when he was alone with Arcee at base. "I...I cannot identify what I even should feel towards him."

She had frowned thoughtfully. "Why do you have to settle on that at all? He was your brother, but he was your enemy. You cannot sort out your feelings in one day. You will need years." Her face had softened as understanding came over her. "You will also need time to grieve. Time to heal."

It was time that he needed, and it was time that he took and used.

He still grieved. He still had his feelings to sort out. But he was a better mech now. He was more sure of himself, and sturdy when it came to the choices he made and how he would reflect on his brother.

Forgetting about him would not help. That would be like trying to stop a flood.

Ignoring the truth would be equally as damaging to himself as well, and he was certain that he would have joined Barricade in the AllSpark sooner if he had done so.

Acknowledging his past and letting it flow, that was all he could do.

He also acknowledged that...he missed him. He missed Barricade. He missed their past. Well, not the circumstances they had been placed in, but he missed what they had as brothers.

All that was good, all that was treasured, was destroyed with a single shot of betrayal.

He used to think that he was alone without his brother at his side. He thought that he had lost a special part of him with Barricade's betrayal. In a way, he had lost a part of him, a certain part that he would never gain back. But, he also gained something else entirely in his team. They could never offer him what Barricade had, but at the same time, Barricade could never offer him what Team Prime had given Bumblebee. He was never alone. He was never truly abandoned.

It was these very thoughts that accompanied him as he walked down the dark streets. Cybertron was still young, or, young from its revival, and Cybertronians were still arriving to the planet. Autobots and Decepticons shared the same joyful feeling of their restored home. But, there were many arrivals still coming in ships and escape pods. In the meantime, strengthening their homeworld was everyone's top priority.

But, at the moment, Bumblebee made his way past the buildings, his steps unhurried and evenly paced. Finally reaching his destination, he entered the dark building, staying wary. Just because Cybertron was newly restored did not mean that there wouldn't be hostilities lurking in the dark.

However, no menacing shadows came out to attack him. He was truly alone here in this moment.

His pede steps made dim, hollow sounds as he crept forward. He climbed up the rickety stairs, taking great care of where he stepped. Finally, he pushed on an old door, the metal creaking slightly in protest. He stepped outward through the doorway and into the crisp night air. His position on the rooftops gave him a good view of the city, casting a dark shadow over the buildings.

He let out a sigh of content as the first colors of the sunrise peeked over the hills. The many reds and warm orange hues bled into the dark blue skies. It seemed as if the very scenery changed altogether.

The sunset was just as he had remembered it. The sheer awe behind it was still there, his breath stolen away at the beauty of his homeworld. He would have to bring Raf here to show him around. The little boy would take such delight in Cybertron. Just the very thought of his strong, little human friend made him smile.

"It's just as beautiful as before, Cade," he whispered softly as he leaned back against the wall, watching the sunrise.

* * *

"You were up early," Arcee commented when he entered the small home.

Bumblebee smiled at his sparkmate. He often wondered what would happen if he and Arcee were to have sparklings. Would they be like him and Cade? Would something so pure, so bright and full of promise become corrupted? Would their bond become shattered?

He briefly shook his helm. No, they would not. He would not allow it, and that was what made all the difference. His sparklings would have him as their sire to insure that what befell him and Barricade would not repeat in his sparklings lives.

But even with that same mindset, he was still terrified at the thought of having sparklings. The nightmare was still there. He would never want to have anyone, let alone his own offspring, to go through a severed bond. He never wanted them to go through the pain of betrayal. And what would he tell them about Barricade? Yes, he had seen plenty of Earth movies where the offspring learned of their forefathers corrupted past, and it always lead to betrayal and heartache. It might be wrong to base his assumptions and fears on Earth movies, but the logic was there.

As was the fear.

He shrugged as he entered the room. "I wanted to see the sunrise," he stated, placing a quick kiss on her helm.

She huffed, smiling. "That's something you and I will have to do together some time."

His smile grew. Arcee knew of his hesitation to have sparklings, and it brought him great relief that she was understanding. It was silly, and he hoped that he could overcome his hesitation and give her the family she deserved.

In a way, they were still soldiers. They had lived through too much to just start over a new life and forget the actions they had committed in times of battle. It was not that simple. Bumblebee doubted it would ever change for them. They would always be ready to fight. They would always wake up, alert to the sound of blaster fire. They would always be alert.

Tragically, peace seemed to elude them.

"It'll be better then meeting with those stuck-ups at the Council," she continued, frowning.

"You sound like Wheeljack," he commented, smirking.

"Then Wheeljack is right," she stated. "If we don't crack down hard on the Council as it is forming, we'll be right back where we started when Cybertron first went dark."

"We just need mechs and femmes who put the needs of Cybertron and its citizens above their own," Bumblebee started. He hesitated. "Mechs like your sire."

Arcee's frown deepened at that, and Bumblebee stayed silent for a moment.

"Busy day today?" Arcee asked him suddenly.

"Of a sort," Bumblebee answered, willing to change the conversation. "I will be working with a new recruit in the parts of what used to be Kaon."

Arcee raised an optic ridge. "Really? What brought that on?"

"I actually volunteered," he answered. "I wanted to oversee some of the changes that will be taking place in that area." He hesitated for a moment. "I want to see what could become of...that place."

His home. There were so many ghosts prowling those streets, and Bumblebee was ready to confront them. Starting with his brother's demons.

Understanding dawned on Arcee's face. She nodded, and he could feel her encouragement through the bond. "I'd say good luck, but you don't need it," she said, grinning. "You're good at what you do."

"I'll be back in time to see Jack and Raf though," he promised, gathering his gear. His excitement was evident at the thought of seeing Raf once more. "I still need to beat him on that racing game."

Arcee hummed thoughtfully. "Jack said something about bringing a new Xbox that Raf had recently purchased."

Bumblebee's optics widened as he took in her words. "Seriously?" he yelped. "I need to work double time to come home early!" He nearly dashed out of their small house before stopping to shoot her a wide smile. "Love you!"

Arcee placed her servos on her hips as she watched him dash out. "Ditto!" she called out. She rested her right servo over her spark, feeling the bond between her and Bumblebee…

...and the new life growing inside of her.

* * *

Bumblebee had to be aware that, while he did want to hurry and see Raf, he also had to perform his job right.

That was not a problem. Bumblebee always excelled in what he did. If he did a job right the first time, he didn't have to redo it.

"Alright Strongarm," he said, surveying the streets before them. He quickly scanned the data pad in his servos before glancing back upwards. "Let's move on to the next district."

" _Copy that, sir,"_ came the cadet's eager response.

Bumblebee sighed as he looked upwards before turning to walk back up the streets and regroup with the others. His steps were unhurried as he took everything in, and a ghost of a smile came across his features. Just a few more human hours, and he would be back at home with his sparkmate, playing on the new Xbox with Raf.

A flash of movement out of the corner of his optic caught his attention. A quick glance to the side nearly caused him to freeze. A dark cruiser, almost like an Earth based vehicle mode of a police car, drove by. He almost called out for his brother for one moment, briefly forgetting that his brother was dead. Instead, he stayed fixated on the cruiser until it vanished from sight, a hollow ache in his spark.

"Lieutenant?" Strongarm asked curiously as she approached him.

He snapped out of his daze. "Yeah," he said, nodding to himself. He turned to the cadet. "We have work to do."


End file.
